Tantalize

This time of year is the real test of resolve; particularly when considering healthy living. It is a tempting challenge to not indulge in eating all of the assorted sweets and goodies that pack on the pounds.  I couldn’t tell you when I agreed to live a healthier life, but my guess is soon after visiting my doctor for my annual check-up last year.  Suddenly everything went haywire; my blood pressure, cholesterol, vitamin deficiencies and even dry skin (for crying out loud).  Perhaps I just happened upon a doctor that likes to get a good view of a new patient? Whatever the turn of events were, I committed to change my wicked-vice-filled ways and to cultivate a healthier existence.  It wasn’t a case of my not knowing any better, I did; it was just I didn’t care better.  But all of that changed, and now we live almost meat and dairy free; which is something to say for this hunter-of-flesh, cheese adoring fellow. With that, I thought of all of the wayward enticements that surface at this festive season of the year; and in which indulging into them got me thinking about the word tantalize; how some foods can get my saliva glands working over time.  My son and I were just reminiscing on the year we survived exclusively on chocolate chip cookies, (for about two weeks; then we both came down with horrible colds).

   It just so happens that during this time we were both free from womanly influences concerning long term affects of a sugar-rich-blitz-mostly diet. That may be just a coincidence by the way. So then, onward to the origins of the word Tantalizing ~

  When the Greek gods of Olympus announced that they would visit Tantalus, one of their favorite mortals, to have a meal with him, Tantalus decided that the best thing to offer the gods would be the thing most dear to him: his son.  He killed his son Pelops and cooked him in a stew.  But the gods knew by the smell of the food alone that it was human flesh and refused it, cursing Tantalus.  For his horrible crime they punished him by placing him in one area of a river under a tree in Tartarus, the underworld.  When he bent down to drink, the water disappeared. When he reached up for fruit from the trees, the branch would be moved away by a wind.  Hence the word tantalize ~ to tempt in a madding way.

   This time of year is a tantalizing experience of sugary-flavored sticky sweet yumminess.  As well as in the wake of enjoyment is the sincere intention and promise to dedicate the first part of the following year to getting rid of its effects.  

Now isn’t that a sweet tale?  The promise I mean.