I suffer from a condition common to families living in a state of suburban abundance. When I walk into my kitchen and see food overflowing from the refrigerator and pantry, I become anxious and overwhelmed. All those food items are like YouTube channels competing for my attention. All those food items demand action. They contribute to “food noise.” When I open the refrigerator or pantry doors and see barely enough space for all the boxes, cans, leftover containers, cartons, and bottles, I feel this force come over me. It says, “Sir, you have a job. Eat!”
This is not what I want. I don’t want my kitchen to be the room of temptation and chaos. I want to live in a place called Dignity.
What I need is to live in a state of food minimalism: three meals a day, no snacking, no food noise, no food bursting at the seams. Just as I want to keep my mind clear by not intoxicating it with online engagement platforms, I want to keep my body clear of food noise and excess calories. I want to be a liberated, svelte, muscular version of myself—the Free Man. I don’t want to be the anxious, mentally hijacked, food-obsessed, blubbery version of myself—the Self-Indulgent Man.
This is my battle, and it is a personal one. My family does not want to cooperate with me in my quest. For them, there is no such thing as too much food. There is only not enough food. They always want more. This is the continuous tension between my family and me. I must navigate it thoughtfully, with kindness, patience, and love.
Can I do so? As I struggle with this notion, I am reminded that man does not live by bread alone. Moreover, too much bread will fatten and eventually kill me.
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