Lounging on couches, talking over glasses of wine my friends & I discussed our cravings. One friend who's lost a lot of weight recently shared that she really didn't miss some food she'd cut back on, but she craved exercise now.
Another runner friend said that her recent half marathon left her craving more races.
I could not relate to either of them.
Rethinking the conversation later got me wondering about my own cravings.
What would it feel like to have good cravings?
To be desperate for exercise or leafy green veggies or flossing your teeth or more self-sacrifice?
I don't crave anything good for me.
I crave chocolate and coffee and time alone and distractions...I never crave exercise or healthy food or sacrifice.
I wish I did.
At my parents home a few weeks ago, I was in the holy of holies (that's my dad's study) and saw his Bible on the desk amidst writings of ancient theologians, countless Biblical commentaries and stacks of note pads filled with his thoughts, studies and reflections. Glancing through the old, worn, but cared for Bible, I noticed that every page had notes.
Every page.
every.
page.
And not scribbled messy notes and questions like the ones in my Bible; but neatly written, logically arranged notes on texts or specific words. As I leafed through it, the precise handwriting in the margins on each page amazed me. This Bible has not only been read cover to cover, but studied cover to cover.
How you can account for writings on every page? Yes, he's been a Christ-follower for a long time. Yes, he's a scholarly man who loves to study.
But, to me, nothing but craving-an intense longing for more- could explain notes on every page.
So, can cravings be cultivated?
That seems counter intuitive to me.
A craving is something on a gut level--there's primal need involved--involuntary. So, can you learn to need something?
I suppose if you look at the world of addictions, people do it all the time.
If I eat more leafy veggies will I want more leafy veggies?
If I floss more will I want/need to floss more?
Is that a craving then or simply something that becomes a habit?
Or can a habit turn into a craving? Ultimately, do we control cravings?
hmmmm...
4 comments:
Every. Page.
Yeah, I want that.
Thanks for reading & commenting, Jennifer...it's always an encouragement. And yes, that's what I want too...now to crave it...
Interesting thoughts, Patty. I've been pondering them off and on since I read your post a few days ago.
We crave what we feel we're missing, don't we? Sometimes we're right, and sometimes not so much (i.e., pretty often if you're craving something sweet, you're really just thirsty - or so they tell me). But I think you're right to suggest that, with discipline and grace, we can learn to desire the things that we really need. Like ... ok, fine, like lettuce. Like the Word. And like life.
Thanks for writing. :)
Hmmmm...indeed. Right there with ya girl.
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