Sunday, May 20, 2012

Or maybe it's summer

I'm freshly in from a horse event, my skin feels crisp despite a lack of sunburn (yet) and my mouth is dry. Oh sure, I could drink some water. But I'm craving ice cream.

But as I think about the half gallon of ice cream I ate last week, I ponder if it's the ice cream I really want. Yesterday while out walking, an older woman sitting in the passenger side of the car was eating an ice cream cone. She looked so happy! She had a big grin on her face right before she turned her head sideways and liiiicked.

I'm sure part of the craving is my body saying sugar and fat would be AWESOME right now. But I think some parts of it are tied to wanting ice cream because of the happy memories tied to that food. The special occasions when I had the treat. I want to capture those delightful moments, but alas it's harder to do when you're all alone. I find some memories are just better when shared.

Not every morsel of food needs to be cherished, as often it is just nourishment and fuel. But think about those foods you normally eat with friends and loved ones. Do they taste the same--do they hit the spot the same--when eaten alone? Perhaps I should be asking if they satisfy the same way. I'm not saying they aren't still delicious and great, but I think sometimes we crave something because we crave the emotions that our body remembers from the last time we ate that food.

Or maybe it's summer and I want a cheeseburger and ice cream.

2 comments:

  1. "Not every morsel of food needs to be cherished."

    Ah, first world issues. One might argue that if you aren't cherishing every morsel of food, you are letting life slip past you. Or at the very least taking for granted that which half the world doesn't have.

    I'm guilty of this myself, so I'm not condemning, just asking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Perhaps cherished isn't the right word. I'm not saying you shouldn't appreciate food, I'm trying to say that every food doesn't have to be a wonderful memory or a significant moment in life. Eating can be for fuel and just as wonderful for being that.

      Delete