Remember a meal you had where the food was excellent and plentiful? You piled your plate high and savored every bite. And as you sopped up the last bit of gravy or pushed the last forkful of crumbs into your mouth, your emotions were high as you contemplated your next move: SECONDS.
Ah, seconds, that highlight of a meal where both eater and chef are appeased; the glorious return to the buffet; a hallmark of abundance and true satiation. What is it about seconds that appeals to us and feels so good? Perhaps it’s the idea that we have another chance at fulfillment, a sign that for the moment, all is right with the world as we partake in an experience that satisfies a basic desire for comfort and enjoyment.
A new year will soon begin. As you write down your list of resolutions and review your life’s principles and motivations, consider the idea of “seconds”. You have a chance to revisit goals past or move forward with a new set of goals. The buffet of life has been reopened. What didn’t fit on your plate last year, what you walked away from in haste, or what you feared tasting is now available for resample.
Plan
Plan your return trip to the buffet carefully. Consider what kept you from trying something new the last time you were primed for seconds. Maybe in years past you avoided the salad bar of life, afraid that the discipline required for healthy living would somehow interrupt your fun-factor and require personal sacrifices you weren’t ready to make. Maybe you walked by the international food station because it harbored flavors and spices that were foreign to your tongue, and you were not yet ready to try something new.
Feast
Resist fear as you reach for “seconds” Don’t avoid the dessert bar thinking that a single slice of something decadent will destroy your life. Remember to be healthy in your choices, but know that it is okay to splurge a little. As long as your actions are not putting yourself or others in harm’s way, it is okay to enjoy with merriment and content the many flavors of life.
Enjoy
Will this be the year that you break free of your comfort zone? Will this trip to the buffet bring to your plate something new and fulfilling? Will you allow yourself the chance to enjoy all that has been laid out before you?
This year is practically over. The first plate you sampled is gone. Whether good or bad, that meal is done. That food, your past, has already passed through your digestive tract. You have a second chance now to make your meal memorable, to make your life what you long for and desire for it to be. The second chance buffet is not full of cold leftovers. The kitchen has been reset, the food freshly prepared. The menu has been expanded. All that’s left is for you to plan, feast, and enjoy!
This article is intended for general education purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for professional counseling or medical care. If you are interested in seeking professional counseling, please call The Stone Foundation at 410-296-2004.
Leslie J. Sherrod, MSW, LGSW, is a licensed clinical social worker. She also has experience providing psychotherapy to children, teens, adults, and families. She is the author of several inspirational novels, including Without Faith, Losing Hope, Secret Place, and Like Sheep Gone Astray. Visit her website at www.LeslieJSherrod.com for more information.
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