The Zen of Everything™, Day 19: Making peace with emptiness
For years, I lived my life like the plate spinners.
You know—those guys you’d see from time to time on Bozo’s Circus who, for their grand finale, kept what seemed like dozens of plates spinning atop dozens of poles via timely reapplication of force (and the apparently gyroscopic effect of the sabre dance).
It was funny to me, until it wasn’t. After all, no matter how skillful you become, it still requires a great deal of energy and focus to keep those plates intact and in motion, which exacts a toll. And for what, ultimately? To prove you are a skillful chicken running around with your head cut off?
As I was getting my breakfast ready this morning, I realized that my life has become less about plate spinning and more about banana rotation. See, I’m not allowed to eat regular bananas on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, so for the past five years, I’ve gotten in the habit of staggering my banana purchases so that I always have a few just coming into that overripe stage that puts them in the SCD safe zone.
Only sometimes, I screw up. I get busy (spinning plates, probably) and don’t get to the store and all of a sudden there are no bananas, or only unripe (or perfect) bananas, which is the same as having no bananas on the SCD.
Here’s the thing: when you fail to keep your plates spinning, you have loud noises and broken crockery; when you fail to rotate your bananas, you have…apples. Or yogurt. Or any one of a number of other foods to fall back on. Quiet, non-stressful foods that, while they may not be loaded with potassium, certainly can get the job done in a pinch.
Lesson #20: Yes! we have no bananas
Talk about your zen koans…
xxx
c
Image by greenhem via Flickr, used under a Creative Commons license.
TOPICS: 21 day salutes, zen of everything.
4 Comments, Comment or Ping
M.R. Willow
my banana photo looks perfect in this entry. thanks for pointing me to it at Flickr. having read your bio, I must say that you’re a very funny and talented woman! having no experience in needing to watch how ripe my bananas are, I learned something new here. still, a challenge is a challenge, eh?
cheers,
greenhem
Jun 1st, 2007
communicatrix
Thank you! I love me them bananas–they’re inspirational!
Jun 2nd, 2007
Adam Kayce : Monk At Work
Hi C — “And for what, ultimately? To prove you are a skillful chicken running around with your head cut off?” Once again, another amazing perspective on a usually transparent set of behaviors. You’re a genius!
I must’ve forgotten that you’re dealing with Crohn’s & doing the SCD… I did the SCD when I was veering too close to plunging over the edge toward IBS/Crohn’s years ago. It helped a lot, so much so that I was able to start eating more ‘normally’ after a few months on it (plus I did a bunch of healing work on the issues that were causing it; which in my opinion was what helped me really turn the corner).
It also helped me lose 10-20 pounds, which was good for where I was at the time (and sadly, find myself again). Maybe I should look at doing it again…
Jun 6th, 2007
communicatrix
Hey, Adam. Didn’t know you were a fellow Crohnie (or almost-Crohnie).
SCD is amazing in many ways–it’s the best for gut-healing, no question. But the weight-regulatory effect is truly astounding! I was on the mailing list for a long time during my early recovery, and the stories of people who were underweight gaining, and people who were overweight losing were everywhere!
For the first time in my life, I have a few spare pounds (my beloved “muffin top”!) and one of the nice things I have to look forward to about getting back on the SCD wagon is also fitting back in my pants. Huzzah!
Jun 6th, 2007