And sugar loves me.
For the longest time, that has been everything that mattered. At the end of the day, when the world lets you down and people break your heart, sugar will always be there for you. Ben & Jerry's Phish Food, New York Super Fudge Chunk, and Cherry Garcia are all suitors for my heart. Oreos. Milkshakes. Cadbury Eggs. My secret lovers. Jelly Belly Jelly Beans. Dark chocolate-covered gummy bears. Peach O's. Junior Mints. So much more than one-night stands. Chocolate chip cookies, fudge brownies, lemon meringue and key lime pie. Some of my very dearest friends. Mmm. Utter satification.
But the fairytale that exists in my head where someday sugary delights become healthier for me than the finest head of lettuce will never come to, for lack of a better word, fruition.
Because sugar is... a... lie. A lovely, decorated lie. It does not provide comfort. It does not offer consolation. It only provides the illusion thereof. I have come to realize that my relationship with sugar has not been love, but lust. Dark, devious lust. And I am not the only one who has fallen into its trap. We are all drawn to it.
Meredith Small, writer of the article Why We Love the Sweet Life (http://www.livescience.com/), says that it isn't all our fault. "It's the fault of our primal heritage. Small tells us, "the human tongue can detect four basic flavors — salt, sour, bitter and sweet, but humans are naturally drawn to sweet because we are primates, animals that evolved eating fruit in the trees... They have been selected to prefer sweet, ripe fruit over unripe, bitter fruit because it has higher sugar content and supplies more ready energy. Ripe fruit also has more water, which can be hard to find high in the canopy."
Interesting. So evolution has provided me with an excuse. I cannot be blamed for my initial infatuation with sugar. Evidently that was a primal urge. So they say. But, I would argue, I can definitely be blamed for allowing it to become such a powerful force in the choices I make about my food. Late night freezer and pantry raids, ice cream for breakfast, cookies for lunch. Those were choices I made. And it's time for me to take control of my body, my temple. This body is on loan, and I want to take care of it.
You should know, every year, I observe Lent. I am not a Catholic, but I do uphold this tradition. For those of you who may not know, Lent begins every year on Ash Wednesday, and extends for the following forty days, ending Easter Sunday. There are many details and differing opinions about the subject, but the general idea is to sacrifice something that you will definitely miss during this time. Last year I chose TV. I love Jesus, and at this time of year, before Easter, we remember His resurrection, and we think of His sacrifice. I find that observing Lent is a great reminder to me, many times a day, of what it feels like to sacrifice. And that is a reminder we all need.
This year, I decided to give up sugar. Not natural sugars, like those found in fruits, but definitely everything I would have previously told you that I "loved" (see above). This is my journey, and though it will not be easy, I am excited about it. I am embracing the sweetness that is found in nature. Especially coconut, which is a magical thing, as it turns out.
Since I had such a toxic relationship with sugar before, this is about becoming healthy, in every which way. I am looking at my new undertaking as more than just sugar abstinence. This is my renaissance. Like that moment in life when you realize you have always been dating the wrong men, so you start to give the right ones a chance. (Please, Lord, let me learn that same lesson sooner rather than later.) They are the ones who will really treat me well. Body, mind, and spirit. I shall embrace watermelon, honeydew, and cantelope like old friends. Apples and bananas are coming over for a party. Peaches, mangos, pineapple. New loves. Strawberries, blueberries, figs, kiwis. Perfect gentlemen. And I have a date with coconut tonight.
In short, I am determined. I will find happiness in the things that really are that much... sweeter.
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