Why are the words "deprivation" and "depravity" so similar?

It must be because it is depraved to deprive oneself. At least that is the conclusion I would like to draw after one day of no added sugar. (Don't mind me, I'm just being dramatic.) But when one of my friends started talking about the kickin' new cupcake place in town, my left eye began to twitch, my hands began to shake. I started to wonder if I could stand to admit to the internet that I was too much of a wimp for even one day. I think I need a sponsor. SERENITY NOW! (I prefer the Seinfeld version of the serenity prayer.)

Okay, so it wasn't that bad. This is difficult for me, however, because I am hardly ever one to work in absolutes. I'm not a person that is willing to say things like: "I will never miss a day of exercise." "I will never eat a doughnut again." My dad can do that. He said the other day "One day's worth of an excuse leads to a week's worth of excuses." I told him he should put that one in his pocket for his next motivational speech.

There is a season for all things. I believe that most of the time, we should operate in a season of moderation. That's healthy. I also believe, however, that there are times to feast, which we clearly have mastered in our country. We deserve to stuff our faces with our families and celebrate what we have without feeling guilty. We need full-out vacations, not just a series of half-days. Unfortunately, if I am philosophically in favor of this feasting concept, I also have believe that depriving has its place. The truth is that, sometimes, we find ourselves in a situation that demands some rigid standards. We need to re-center and focus ourselves so we stop taking the feasts for granted.

I think that's a far more important goal than losing weight. I was really spoiled all summer, and I don't feel guilty about it AT ALL. But for the time being, I think it's important that I find pleasure in things other than indulgence. Like the feeling I had after my run. (My slow run. I made sure to run at a recovery pace.) The feeling of a clean house. The feeling of starting a new school year in a job I love. Who needs sugar?