Because Life is too Short to Eat Gross Food

One day, shortly after my injury, I very abruptly looked at my mom and said, "I am NEVER eating something I do not like again; life is too short for that!" A little back story will help take some of the rudeness out of that statement. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was very young, and the dietary restrictions at that time required me to eat things that I did not want to eat, was too full to eat, and/or did not like. Not only did I inherit a vastly more difficult life after my spinal cord injury, I was also gifted with a much shorter life expectancy, providing me with increased perspective on everything.

I sincerely believe that life ought not be wasted on eating things people do not enjoy!

In addition to not wasting my life eating something that is not enjoyed, I also took into consideration that my caloric needs had become significantly reduced, given a serious decrease in activity. All those calories people burn moving their bodies just went out the window; therefore, in addition to refusing to eat anything that I do not like, I avoid anything that is high-calorie, but not delicious enough to be "worth" the calories. This means that if I am going to bother with baked goods and sweet treats, they need to be top tier. I would rather have a delicious full fat—that means butter and not some quasi-healthy substitute—full sugar confection that I may eat less frequently, but truly enjoy, than to have some sort of "healthy" version. The low-calorie attempt at making something healthier is just not worth the calories in my estimation, because it is simply not good enough to bother eating in the first place, even with the reduced calories.

It is all about the food!

I feel the need to make a few qualifications on my proverb. Just because I sincerely believe that life ought not be wasted on eating things people do not enjoy, it does not mean I recommend allowing one's children to live exclusively off of macaroni and cheese, or hot dogs. There are health considerations to factor in, and without exposure children will not learn to like new things, or even know what they truly like, as the pallet matures with age. My work around when people attempt to get me to eat things that are disgusting, but healthy, is to find a different food that provides the same health benefit which I enjoy. I will fully admit that my attitude makes me worry of being designated a total brat. After all, one of my least favorite things in the world is when somebody tells me it is so sad that I do not like something, because it is so delicious. I do not find it delicious, in fact I am happy that I do not like it and do not have to waste my life eating it. Perhaps I feel sad for them as they are not enlightened enough to hate it as I do!

While my kibosh on all foods I find unpalatable may seem superficial, it was a small part of a much larger revelation. Life is short, and while it is full of much unpleasantness, and many things that people must do, regardless of whether or not they enjoy them, that does not mean everyone ought not take every opportunity to make the most out of their time on this earth. Whether it be avoiding what I do not like, and indulging in what I do, or applying a similar valuation process to any other aspect of life, I have attempted to live my life fully. This does not necessarily mean having a perpetual grand adventure, but I try not to waste precious time.

There was a short period after my injury where I would say, "I will do that after I recover," this was of course when I still had hope that I would walk again someday. While there is nothing wrong with having hope, and I do hope that there will be medical advancements which change my reality someday, I no longer live waiting for a someday that may or may not come, but rather choose to enjoy and appreciate everything that I can in the present, because we truly do not know how long our time on this earth will be and it certainly ought not to be wasted on anything disgusting!