Gluttony

Posted by Marci on Dec 2, 2010 in | 0 comments

The sound of flute music echoed throughout Piazza Signora. Lights from the restaurants illuminated the cobblestone streets. I sat at the base of Persues’s statue, the book Chocolat in hand. As I savored the story of Vivianne Rocher making her famous chocolate in her little shop, I rolled a decadent truffle around my mouth. I’d bought the candy earlier that day in a tiny shop, hidden in an alley away from the tourist attractions. I spent a small fortune on hand-rolled truffles, but as I bit into the first one I knew I tasted something priceless. It was as if chocolate cake had exploded in my mouth.

In some Christian denominations, gluttony is considered one of the seven deadly sins – a misplaced desire for food. To an extent, gluttony can be harmful, but in the right circumstances it can elevate the soul to a lustful enjoyment of life.

I wanted to experience gluttony for one reason – I had lived my life by rules of what I believed was good for me and it created a sense of control. I wanted to know what would happen if I let go.

Italy was my perfect teacher. I ate rich ricotta on fresh baked bread. I indulged in gelato daily and sometimes in the afternoon and the evening. I savored lasagna dripping in cheese and pesto. The produce tasted like sunshine and I ate tomatoes, spinach, and peppers with a combination of cheeses. One night, I went home with strawberries, Nutella, and wine. I smeared the chocolate hazelnut across the fruit and pleasure overwhelmed my senses as I bit in. For one night I had a love affair with chocolate, strawberries and wine while I read a delicious book.

Instead of eating on the run for nutrition, I stopped, I savored, I ate till my belly felt full and my senses were satiated. In my gluttony, my jeans didn’t get tighter, in fact I needed a belt to keep them up. Each meal was an experience of being present in the moment.

Early morning, I’d walk the streets of Florence gathering coffee and biscotti, and then sitting on the Pont de Vecchio overlooking the Arno as I indulged my taste buds.

For one month, gluttony became my way of life not just in the food I ate, but in my experiences. I immersed myself in art. I traveled the countryside scooping up images of beauty. I drank in the kisses of Italian men letting them linger for a just a moment when they took me by surprise.

To be gluttonous is to celebrate the joys of living. If we weren’t meant to taste life deeply than why would the world be created with so many magnificent, juicy, wonderful sensations.

By dreaming of really experiencing gluttony, I learned to live bigger, to taste deeper, and to know what it’s like to be present. It’s a dream that I plan to repeat many gluttonous times.