What’s Lust Got to Do With It?

Did you really think I was going to go there? For me, vampires are the most lustful of creatures because they take what and who they want without remorse, regret, or any feelings of any kind- unless of course you are Edward Cullen. Not that I have anything against Twi-hards- I eagerly anticipate the next two movies and have read all four books (all for educational purposes, I assure you). It’s just that my favorite vamps (now there is an evocative term perfect to the discussion of lust) came from one of my favorite TV shows of all time- Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And don’t just take it from me, go ask Entertainment Weekly.

Angel, the vampire with a soul and later, Spike and even Drusilla were able to teach many lessons through the use of being a counterpart and a friend to a demon slayer. Now, I am certainly not an expert on this show and its many beautifully crafted dialogue which always seemed to capture the zeitgeist of American pop culture. I am merely a fan. There are entire college courses dedicated to the study of the importance of this show- enroll in one of those if you want to know more.

However, I digress. The reason I bring up this show is because at the end of season 1, Buffy loses her virginity to Angel- the vampire with a soul. The next day, Angel wakes up without his soul and Buffy without many of her closest friends- killed and tortured by Angel. So, not only did I think it was brilliant how the show equated giving up your virginity with a boyfriend leaving you the next day- a perfect story to tell our children- but the manner in how that tale of morality was told. Lust may have taken over the “souls” of our beloved characters; but where did it leave them.

Lust, in terms of health and social consumerism, is everywhere. I was taking a taxi to work the other morning (I do take the subway home) and noticed that all the stores along the route were already decorated for Christmas. That is simply stirring up lust and desire for those goods. Creating a machine that is hoping to revive the American economy; when in fact, we probably don’t need any of those things. Christmas is coming and I have enough time to still talk about that so let’s look at how lust affects our health.

It’s eating season right. All the foods that we don’t eat throughout the year are thrust in our faces everywhere we turn. We lust for them and can’t seem to live without them. Thanksgiving is in a week and can’t you feel your mouth watering for your mother’s or grandmother’s__________.

This is just another example of lust. We don’t need those foods, we lust for them. We don’t need to throw our clean dietary habits out the window but we lust to do it. For those of us not so much on the straight and narrow, you can’t tell me that you aren’t lusting for that one dish we only make on Thanksgiving. The pre-parade parties; watching the balloons getting blown up; the overindulgence of everything. Now, one day is one day and I too will be eating a lot of things I preach against everyday. But please try to remember that it is just one day.

I thought equating lust with food would help people prepare their minds and their kitchens with a little more sensitivity to what is really happening. We all enjoy food but try not to lust after it. The real cause of heart disease is eating foods that produce high glycemic load in the body. Thanksgiving is filled with those types of foods. So, indulge for one day and give the leftovers to those less fortunate than you.

Ok, one more vampire reference then I am done. Seriously, if you are not watching, The Vampire Diaries on the CW, you have no idea what you are missing. The Salvatore brothers and Elena participate in the seven deadly sins on a weekly basis; but a good story line is always based on the same thing…love

Until next time……