I wrote a blog a couple of months ago on Addictions and the powerful hold they can have on our lives. That blog was written from a personal point of view as I was considering behaviors and thoughts from my own life. I have continued to think about this topic, and one thing that I have come to understand is that feeding our addictions does not satiate us or fill some need once and for all. It only leads to stronger urges and stronger callings. Addictions cannot be fed and then put on the shelf for a while. I was reminded of this from a good friend of mine who is a real slave to the bean. He is always toting around a huge mug of coffee. He knows the exact location of every Starbucks in every town that he visits. He will not even attempt to function without ensuring that his java source is secure. The trouble is that every time I see him, he is struggling to stay awake and alert. In every meeting we are in together, he cannot keep his eyes open for more than 10 minutes. He looks exhausted all the time. His efforts to stay awake almost look painful. The more he feeds his coffee addiction, the worse he seems to get. Romancing the bean or whatever it is we think we need to function, to get by, to survive, is a pump that cannot be primed, a pail that cannot be filled, a fire that cannot be quenched. Ultimately it will come to dominate our life and define who we are.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Slave to the Bean
I wrote a blog a couple of months ago on Addictions and the powerful hold they can have on our lives. That blog was written from a personal point of view as I was considering behaviors and thoughts from my own life. I have continued to think about this topic, and one thing that I have come to understand is that feeding our addictions does not satiate us or fill some need once and for all. It only leads to stronger urges and stronger callings. Addictions cannot be fed and then put on the shelf for a while. I was reminded of this from a good friend of mine who is a real slave to the bean. He is always toting around a huge mug of coffee. He knows the exact location of every Starbucks in every town that he visits. He will not even attempt to function without ensuring that his java source is secure. The trouble is that every time I see him, he is struggling to stay awake and alert. In every meeting we are in together, he cannot keep his eyes open for more than 10 minutes. He looks exhausted all the time. His efforts to stay awake almost look painful. The more he feeds his coffee addiction, the worse he seems to get. Romancing the bean or whatever it is we think we need to function, to get by, to survive, is a pump that cannot be primed, a pail that cannot be filled, a fire that cannot be quenched. Ultimately it will come to dominate our life and define who we are.
