I consider the statement “the body’s will is weaker than the mind’s” a pathetic excuse of a person who refuses to take responsibility for his or her actions. The relationship between the body and the mind can be likened to that of a car and a driver. The car has the capacity to take you places, but it does not move on its own; it must have a driver in order for it to be able to fulfill its function. It is the same with the body because it merely does what the mind wants it to do—it has no will of its own. This is why I don’t like it when people use the phrase “sins of the flesh”; the only people who are guilty of that kind of sin are people who have no control over their desires.
A very good example of this is food, since eating is a bodily pleasure we all like to indulge in every now and then. Lunch and dinner are one of the highlights of my day because there is nothing more satisfying than a delicious meal after a long morning or afternoon’s work. In fact, I enjoy eating so much that there are times when end up having seconds and thirds, resulting in rapid weight gain. I’d like to keep my slim build, not just because I’ve been conditioned to accept that thin means beauty; it would also be a bummer if I become too fat for my clothes. Currently, I feel like it’s time to cut down on my food intake since my face looks a lot rounder than normal. And it takes a heroic effort for me to avoid “evil food” when my mouth starts watering for French fries and Coke. But I manage to do it because I know that giving in to this urge will only result in temporary satisfaction and a bulging belly.
Smoking cigarettes is another bodily pleasure I enjoy. However, I do not consider this a “weakness” because I know why I smoke and I can limit the number of cigarettes I consume. I smoke primarily because the nicotine helps me relax when I feel stressed and calms me down when I am giddy with happiness or excitement. But when my lungs start feeling heavy and abused, I stop smoking until my lungs start to feel better again.
Lastly, it just occurred to me that I could be curled up in bed, sleeping, instead of doing this project. But since I already slept ten hours last night and this will be due in a week’s time, I choose to forgo the nap and keep on working. It is simply a matter of having discipline because after all, we can’t always do what we want. But given the proper time and occasion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with indulging in a fattening McDonald’s meal or a long, sweet nap.
