Sacrifice: The Dessert Dilemma

Day 126

Today is April 3, 2016.

The Presidential Election of 2044 is on November 8

(10,446 days from now)

Today, while giving a presentation at Purdue University, I asked the crowd if anyone had maintained their New Year’s Resolutions through the first three months of 2016. A few participants raised their hands and said things like “I’ve been going to the gym twice a week,” “I stopped smoking,” and “I have been dressing more professionally.”

One guy raised his hand and said, “I haven’t eaten any desserts this year.”

I replied, “Oh that’s good. Congrats! Have you been losing weight?”

“I don’t know,” he said.

“Did you stop eating desserts to try and lose weight?” I asked.

“No,” he said.

“Then why are you denying yourself the pleasure of enjoying a delicious dessert?!?”

“I don’t know.”

After that interaction, I began pondering the idea of why we make sacrifices.

Is what we are giving up holding us back from something (i.e. sacrificing desserts to lose weight)?

Could it be an act of friendship or solidarity (i.e. … because a friend is diabetic)?

Maybe the sacrifice is an offering to a higher power (i.e. fasting during Ramadan or giving up “sweets” for Lent).

Is there pain attached to the sacrifice (i.e. dessert reminds someone of a lost love)?

Are you trying to be an example/inspiration for others (i.e. … to teach your kids about healthy eating)?

Possibly it’s an opportunity to prove it to yourself or someone else (i.e. sacrificing desserts just to see if you could).

Boredom.

Allergies.

Performance art.

Or maybe you don’t need any reason at all.

This “no dessert” thing still doesn’t make much sense to me (maybe because I love dessert), BUT here’s what is very interesting about this whole situation. It is working for him! He was only one of four people to raise their hand and share about successfully keeping New Year’s resolution through the first quarter of 2016. (By the way, there were 700+ participants in total).

I am sure there are many reasons for one to make sacrifices other than what’s listed above, and, as I’ve learned today, maybe you don’t even need a reason…

(BUT that’s crazy, right?! Of course one would need a reason to give up dessert, right?! I don’t know, folks!)

Sincerely, this is cooking my brain. I really wish I could have pulled that guy aside and asked him more about this New Year’s resolution. I have so many questions, the first of which is, “Why?”

Let me just ask you, the readers, is it possible to make a sacrifice, no matter how small or large, without any greater motivation or purpose? Have you seen any other examples of this?

I’m so perplexed over here. I might need a pint of Ben and Jerry’s to calm myself down. That’ll fix everything.