Opus 2026-255: Exceptions and Excuses

My wife just had one of those discussions that Doctors seemed to love to have about dietary needs and long-term health involving such things as high blood pressure and diabetes.  I always get a kick out of those discussions after I get over being uptight.  I get tired of being told to stop smoking and cut out the alcohol because I have never smoked and you could put all the alcohol I’ve ever consumed into a 1 quart milk bottle.  They love boilerplate because they can be very definite.

One of the issues that always comes up is that Oreo cookie that you’re planning on having.  Of course you deny it.  You act like it never happened.  Unfortunately your blood sugar knows.  The same would go for that meal you have when you go out with the family.  We have a way of saying, “Oh well, this one time will make any big difference.”  We’re right, and we’re wrong.

This is where we get to conceding, admitting, recognizing and implementing the difference between exceptions and excuses.  For most people, one meal rich in all the things the doctor tells you are bad for you will not really make any big difference.  The significance here is the word “one”.  Remember the Lays potato chip commercial, which said, “Bet you can’t eat just one”?  If there was money placed on it I probably could.  Just as long as there was an ending time where I could have the second.  But one doesn’t hurt me.

My problem is that I continually recite that mantra until the bag is empty.  The problem is when my wife asked me to bring home a couple of packages of triple stuffed Oreos and I know she’s going to eat them.  She may only eat them one at a time.  She may keep them frozen.  But they do get eaten and the exception becomes nothing but an excuse.

I don’t know how many times I have had a good day in controlling what I eat and then something will happen and I will say, “Oh well….”

Learn the difference between a genuine exception and a flagrant excuse.  If it’s your 50th wedding anniversary and you want to spend money at a restaurant that you normally could not afford, go for it.  Don’t make the same plans when you celebrate your one week anniversary of cleaning the living room.

homo unius libri