One of the more awesome sights you can witness is a salmon run. Your heart will swell with compassion for these determined creatures seeking mightily to return to the place of their birthing.
One part of you will be cheering for their courage and heart as they fight their way upstream-even up and over waterfalls-their skin turning color as they are dying on this one final effort--to reach the place where they were born. Finally, there, to lay the vital eggs that will carry their species on into the future.
But pity will swell in another part of you. Bad as it is that these valiant creatures must fight their way upstream, flesh dying even as they struggle--they are seen as a windfall of good fortune by all manner of vultures and hunters. From birds to bears to humans, all seek to increase their lot at the expense of the salmon caught up in their heroic battle.
Strange as it may seem, as the drama played out, I had a sudden flash of how very much the plight of the salmon is not unlike that of the modern day dieter.
The dieter too seeks just to go home-the home of their perfect weight. They also do so to give birth-the rebirth of dignity and respect. The dieter seeks the simple ability to walk the streets free of the stares and glares of condescending people. To be able to look in the mirror and see not failure reflected back, but rather one of Nature's most amazing miracles. The dieter longs to be able to sit in a moment of quietude, where the mind is not nagging and whispering "failure" . . . "loser".
More than 90% of these struggling dieters fail to reach the blissful fields of home. The stream they fight against is filled with personal monsters. From undesirable hand-me-downs of heredity to the dark psychological demons that lurk in the shadows to commercial chemical pirates who scheme to win by tampering with our food. From aging and slowing metabolisms, weary from the passing of time to war torn metabolisms, bruised and damaged from previous battles upstream in search for home.
The parallel does not stop here. While tens of millions of dieters struggle with the challenge of finding home, they too are seen as easy prey to the human varieties of hunters and vultures. Money-mesmerized drug companies, sleazy marketing companies, infomercial, snake-oil hucksters, wannabe yacht owners from dozens of professions--all jury rigging signposts that proclaim "The Home You Seek is This Way!"
This last fact is the fork in the road for salmon and dieters. The salmon is born with the map to "home" imprinted in its genes. Dieters are not so blessed. And the result is that every money-hungry, morally deficient capitalist on the loose, is out trying to sell bogus maps to hopeful dieters trying to find their way.
Some think that courage is the absence of fear. Courage is moving forward in spite of fear, in spite of the fact that the cards are stacked against you. The call to home for the dieter is strong. The need to succeed tugs at the dieter's deepest yearnings. Slipping into a new coat of hope and armed with renewed determination, the dieter musters the courage to once again step to the front line.
I salute you dieters everywhere. Your courage to continue to push against such overwhelming odds is awe inspiring. You are truly unsung heroes all. May you one day find home. May you one day rest in the sweet peace you so deeply yearn. These are my sincerest wishes for you. - 15343
One part of you will be cheering for their courage and heart as they fight their way upstream-even up and over waterfalls-their skin turning color as they are dying on this one final effort--to reach the place where they were born. Finally, there, to lay the vital eggs that will carry their species on into the future.
But pity will swell in another part of you. Bad as it is that these valiant creatures must fight their way upstream, flesh dying even as they struggle--they are seen as a windfall of good fortune by all manner of vultures and hunters. From birds to bears to humans, all seek to increase their lot at the expense of the salmon caught up in their heroic battle.
Strange as it may seem, as the drama played out, I had a sudden flash of how very much the plight of the salmon is not unlike that of the modern day dieter.
The dieter too seeks just to go home-the home of their perfect weight. They also do so to give birth-the rebirth of dignity and respect. The dieter seeks the simple ability to walk the streets free of the stares and glares of condescending people. To be able to look in the mirror and see not failure reflected back, but rather one of Nature's most amazing miracles. The dieter longs to be able to sit in a moment of quietude, where the mind is not nagging and whispering "failure" . . . "loser".
More than 90% of these struggling dieters fail to reach the blissful fields of home. The stream they fight against is filled with personal monsters. From undesirable hand-me-downs of heredity to the dark psychological demons that lurk in the shadows to commercial chemical pirates who scheme to win by tampering with our food. From aging and slowing metabolisms, weary from the passing of time to war torn metabolisms, bruised and damaged from previous battles upstream in search for home.
The parallel does not stop here. While tens of millions of dieters struggle with the challenge of finding home, they too are seen as easy prey to the human varieties of hunters and vultures. Money-mesmerized drug companies, sleazy marketing companies, infomercial, snake-oil hucksters, wannabe yacht owners from dozens of professions--all jury rigging signposts that proclaim "The Home You Seek is This Way!"
This last fact is the fork in the road for salmon and dieters. The salmon is born with the map to "home" imprinted in its genes. Dieters are not so blessed. And the result is that every money-hungry, morally deficient capitalist on the loose, is out trying to sell bogus maps to hopeful dieters trying to find their way.
Some think that courage is the absence of fear. Courage is moving forward in spite of fear, in spite of the fact that the cards are stacked against you. The call to home for the dieter is strong. The need to succeed tugs at the dieter's deepest yearnings. Slipping into a new coat of hope and armed with renewed determination, the dieter musters the courage to once again step to the front line.
I salute you dieters everywhere. Your courage to continue to push against such overwhelming odds is awe inspiring. You are truly unsung heroes all. May you one day find home. May you one day rest in the sweet peace you so deeply yearn. These are my sincerest wishes for you. - 15343
About the Author:
Stephen Bartlay is a writer and researcher. Plagued by a faulty metabolism from birth, uncovering the mysteries of successful weight control has become Stephen's passion. He is making these secrets available on his website. The author of the popular "Binge Busters - Special Report", Stephen Bartlay extends to you his personal invitation to visit him at http://WhyWeight.info to gain new insights into your own efforts in weight control.
