I often feel like I’m a walking contradiction at times because I simply cannot align my spiritual being with my physical being. There always seems to be a struggle between the two because the body wants what it wants while my mind tells me that may not be the wisest choice.
For example chocolate ice cream, I love chocolate ice cream! However, I simply cannot eat it all the time. It’s a fact that it’s fattening, full of sugar and doesn’t contain all the necessary nutrients to sustain my good health. My mind knows this, but my physical craving for it to satisfy my taste buds rationalize otherwise thus creating the dilemma.
Should I obey and give in to my inner desire and craving for the ice cream or should I stand firm, resist the temptation and exert a little self discipline to maintain a healthier lifestyle? We make seemingly simple choices like that all day everyday. Although we may not pay the price right away for the choice we make for something as trivial as ice cream; our decisions for whether or not to instantly gratify our desires will have it’s consequences over time.
I find this to be especially true as I’m fast approaching my 40th birthday. The choices and decisions I’ve made in my youth has not only caught up to me but is solidifying itself in my character, personality, and my lifestyle as well. No one becomes fat over night. I need to learn how and have the discipline to maintain a healthier lifestyle if I want to be slim,trim and fit.
Let’s switch gear here for a moment and just pretend that the choice we have to make is a little bit more important than ice cream. Say religion, which seems to be an almost taboo subject these day. We have so many radicals and activists that’s teaching us to be “politically correct”, to be more accepting of other peoples lifestyles and less judgmental whether we agree with it or not.
When it comes to my own spirituality, I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a Christian. Look no one’s perfect. If the “politically correct” people don’t want “religion” to be pushed on them, I’m fine with that. After all, I still like to think we have our own free will. The only problem is, I don’t want gay and lesbian agenda pushed on me or my children either. “If we don’t stand for something we’ll fall for anything.”
If we can’t talk about God in school, I really don’t want same sex marriages to be taught in the same school system either. So where am I going with all of this or what am I getting at? Our Lifestyle of course. My mind, body, and spirit may not always be in harmony, but what we chose today and everyday will most definitely define our lifestyle.
