#I already have a good idea of how my obituary may read: - “He passed away peacefully in his sleep due to complications associated with an acute inability to go on living”.
#But all my friends, family and neighbors will know different. - “Death by chocolate it was.
#The poor fellow just couldn’t get enough of it. Not just chocolate itself but chocolate ice cream in particular. Sadly, the misfortunate guy could not control his craving, and it finally killed him. But at least he died a happy man!”
#Well, some people, it would seem to me, live to eat. Food appears to be their major expense and greatest obsession in life.
#Their world revolves around gourmet food, where to get it, how good it tastes, its cost, availability, preparation directions and on and on.
#But for me, food is just fuel for the human machine. You choose which grade of octane to pump into your vehicle. It’s just fuel to give your machine energy.
#I know this all too well. But to be honest, I have a weakness for all forms of chocolate.
#I suppose it’s the emotional attraction for the sensation of the physical world that finally hooks us.
#Some special select material substance or emotional sensation we start to crave pulls us right in. It’s the feeling of euphoria, a taste of joy experienced and deliciously savored.
#You (we) literally sell our soul to the material devil for promises of such future material bliss.
#Well, “Welcome to my world” says the spider to the fly!
#Night and day, through the media, we are bombarded with ads: “Eat this. Drink that. Buy our product. It will bring you happiness and satisfaction. Our item is the answer to your quest in life and you can have it. Things go better with Coca Cola.”
#I’ve worked in sales some in my past years. It’s a simple and easy process really. Just find what indicates and appears to your customer, then promise him the enjoyment and satisfaction of having it. Seal the deal, close the sale and collect your commission.
#So, to bait the hook we have drugs, booze, fancy cars and painted women. And let’s not forget lust for wealth and power. - “Step right up folks. Don’t be shy. Take your pick.” And like the teenage boys yell at you from the street corner, - “What you want?”
#So how many more dollars will it take to make a millionaire happy? How many more calories does an overweight person really need? What amount of liquor will satisfy an alcoholic? And what quantity of drugs would prompt an addict to say, “Enough?”
#You could say we are pawns, marks and suckers in a material bazar. We work long and hard to scrape together enough funds to purchase a few beads and baubles. But when we have them, we still are not happy. Our lives are not complete. Material possessions do somehow not fill the void, satisfy your hunger or quench your thirst.
#Well, what I’ve been looking at recently is that life could be divided into three sections.
#There is the physical, the emotional and the spiritual. Our material existence absorbs the majority of our attention and interest. Our emotional realm gets some measure of notice from time to time. But sadly, our spiritual existence is mostly ignored, neglected, ridiculed and denied by so many.
#We get stuck in the material glue of our world. It’s like quicksand in a way. We sink into it as it swallows us up. And if we don’t get what we think we need from this substance, then we get quite emotional.
#As for the spiritual realm; well as most people view it - “Who knows about that and if it even exists? I guess we’ll find out when this game is over”.
#I personally believe it would be a good idea to know a bit about the environment of the water before you dive right in blindly.
# In this life, if you decide to be a monk or a nomad wanderer, then you are not being faithful to the religion of materialism. You will be osterized and shunned by its devotees.
#So, in this world of ours we adapt to the status quo, because everyone else does.
#We call our lifestyle normal so as not to feel uncomfortable. But all in all, we somehow muddle along slogging with the increasing weight, the pull, the gravitational force of this solid environment.
#Properly programmed consumers always need more stuff.
#But I would say, the only things you really need in life are a suitcase, a mode of transport, a quest for adventure and a cheerful disposition.
#Well maybe also, just every once in a while, a little chocolate.
#You can view more articles by Googling danhughoconnor@gmail.com