As a mother of several toddlers, this passage made me laugh in recognition:
"It is plain that the appetites are wearisome and tiring. They resemble little children, restless and hard to please, always whining to their mother for this thing or that, and never satisfied." (the Ascent of Mount Carmel, pg 132)
As a mother, I totally understand what St. John is talking about! For example, I go into Target firmly resolved to keep to my list. "This is a quick shopping trip for Baby Tess," I announce loudly. "We are not here to get things for ourselves."
My three year old immediately grabs a small overpriced packet of gold fish crackers. "She's a good girl," I rationalize. "She deserves a gift." I cheerfully give her permission to buy it. But now I've fed her roaring appetite. She's no longer satisfied with goldfish crackers. She wants marshmallows, and cookies, and chocolate popsicles. She wants them ALL, she's not content to trade up or down. Before I know what hits me, she's having a melt down over my denial of a $45 Barbie computer. All this drama which began over a $1 goldfish snack attack.
I think St. John is telling us that if we start indulging in our appetites we will never be satisfied, just like my three year old in Target.
3 comments:
Great quote. I love it. Such a perfect insight into appetites. It made me laugh too.
As an aside-- that is exactly why I've never, ever bought my kids a snack at the grocery store. I bring them snacks in my bag. Because I know if I give in just once I'll have to fight that battle every single time. It's really a kind of laziness on my part and perhaps not doing them favors in that I'm not really teaching them restraint. The only treat I let them have are the free cookies at the bakery counter. (I have been known to buy them juice and baked goods at the Starbucks in Target, however.)
This is also why it is easier for me in some ways to give up chocolate altogether for Lent than to be moderate in my consumption. If I have it in the house, I will eat it. If I'm allowing myself to eat it, I will buy it at the store. I suppose I really need to work on moderation, training my appetites to be under my control.
You bought THOSE goldfishes in Target too! I said to myself, poor girl, has been shopping in this humongous store for _____hours and needs a snack!
She asks for them every morning now when she wakes up! I threw those little suckers in the trash. NO way Jose. Toast and eggs are on the menu.
I will not let those fish in my house again. And, yes, in a moment of weakness I went to Target :)
That store HAS EVERYTHING.
I am not going back for 2 more years.
That is unfortunately complete and utterly true. Just one thing and the flesh comes roaring back to life...just one more thing, one more thing, one more thing!
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