Savor It!

FB Post, May 28, 2013

Good Tuesday Morning!  Started the day with a cup of yesterday's coffee.  Doh!  When I say I love coffee I mean GOOD coffee.  I mean, if push comes to shove, I'll take what I get but that blunder was quickly rectified!  Ahhhh coffee...oh how I love thee..... I think I have a problem. 

I admit it.  I'm a snob.  I am!  But only with food.  I don't judge people who EAT the crappy food, I'm judging the crappy food itself.  When I walk down the bread aisle and see the bags of highly processed donuts, I actually shudder.  Seriously!  Much in the vein of walking by an open pit of venomous snakes; that shitake can kill you!  Don't get me wrong, I love donuts.  Oh you delicious little golden halos of glazed awesomeness how, when done just right, you leave me with euphoric bliss (I think I've already established I have a problem! :) ). 

I love sugar.  REAL sugar.  I don't know if I'll EVER go without sugar in my coffee.  But I have whittled it down to 4.5 grams/8oz of coffee (yes, I measure) from 6g! 

We all have our weaknesses; our Achilles heals in life, especially when it comes to food.  I cannot resist really good bread.  Fresh, piping hot, topped with melty butter or dipped in herbed olive oil.  Mmmmmmm....sorry...what were we talking about? 

The thing is, I WANT my cake AND eat it too!  So - much like in moments of life - I do my best to savor.  I don't wolf food down like I'm on a mission.  I savor each bite, especially the really good stuff.  I close my eyes and take it all in.

Food relationships are the same as human relationships: it's healthy to like food, even to love food, but you're reaching intervention level when you start to stalk food!  I have never deprived myself of anything.  But, since I’ve become a food snob, I don’t WANT to eat the entire bag of Doritos (I will have some because they are the devil and difficult to resist!) but I’ve conditioned myself to become conscious of what I am stuffing into my precious body via the ol’ pie hole!  (Of course, there are certain times when I can be found standing in the pantry eating crackers directly from the box but, thankfully, that’s only about every 4 weeks!)

I have got one body and one shot at this life.  I want to enjoy it.  I used to think that the saying “It’s better to burn out than to fade away” was so cool.  While there is merit in living life to the fullest, I want to be around to see my kids enjoy life too!

I think you can have both.  Especially if you consciously make the effort to see life that way.

No one knows what the future holds.  A lady came up to me after Zumba yesterday and said, “You look so fit!”  After a thank you for her kind observation, I told her probably one of my greatest blessings in life was being diagnosed with MS as it has given me appreciation for the life I have.  And getting fit and healthy has been (and is!) such an amazing journey!  I’m not a fan of exercise.  But I love how I feel afterward.  Of THAT, I am a fan.  Those endorphins start kicking in and I feel unstoppable! 

Everyone’s life is different.  What is fulfillment for me is completely different from what is fulfillment for you.  I just hope you take the time to savor what you have.  To truly enjoy your moments.  Stop, close your eyes, and breath in what is around you when things are really good.  You won’t be sorry you did.  It kindles the light inside of you that carries you through darker times.  Peace.