I have often found that the funniest experiences in life come to us by just observing our fellow humans and being aware of our surroundings. Recently, I sat on the open deck outside the buffet café a cruise ship. I watched folks make their way from the swimming pool area to the café at the rear of the ship. Lined with tables on one side and a wall on the other, the deck was narrow and about sixty feet long.
All types, shapes, and sizes walked down the pathway to the food court. One lady waggled down and looked like a giant Super Nova waiting to explode. Four hundred pounds of sheer appetite just eager to gobble up the next few platefuls of food. I read her thoughts as she passed by.
My appetite is my Shepherd, I shall not want,
Lead me into the path of temptation,
My belly floppeth over my knees,
Yea, though I walk through the valley of enticement I will not weaken.
My taste buds are my rod, meat and cream cakes comfort me,
I dig my grave with my teeth, yet I shall fear no weight gain,
Afterwards I will snooze all afternoon and be ready for the onslaught of dinner and midnight buffets with a few snacks in between,
After all aren't we here to "enjoy" ourselves?????
She was followed by one of the dancers who was rushing to eat her yogurt and three lettuce leaves before her next rehearsal. Isn't it amazing how the image of a human body can change shape so dramatically in a few seconds? We are what we think, and we take shape with what we eat. If we control our thoughts, we can control our shape. No fad diet can work for long. There are no quick fixes. There is no substitution of universal truths for ego's truths.
Next came a couple of guys smoking cigars, talking about the stock market as they passed. They were most upset when they were asked to put out their cigars before they entered the café. They insulted the headwaiter and went back to the pool area where hot dogs, hamburgers and french fries were being served. Maybe we should bring smoking back into cafés, for is it not unfair that folks can't smoke in restaurants and inflict their poison on others?????
For quite a while, I watched all the different people amble by; they all had one thing in common. No one smiled; they all had very serious looks on their faces. The only happy, smiling faces I could see were those of the staff. The busboys and girls were very busy clearing the tables and they were the happiest as they joked and tried to make the passengers feel happy.
Most folks were locked in thoughts of passed memories, and being on a beautiful sailing resort did not mean anything to them. They could have been back at work or in a snowstorm. Locked in a dungeon of doom and gloom. The looks on the faces were grim and miserable.
Why do people continue to live with negative minds?
Could it be we've become addicted to worry?
An addiction is something we hate but can't get enough of. There is a way through the maze of ignorance and into the light, but most folks will not take that enchanting journey. Many call it mumbo-jumbo and continue to live in a tormented mind. Amazing what a curse and bully the ego can be.
Once we plant seeds of worry in our minds, we will grow weeds of depression.
The only way to rid our minds of destructive thoughts is to detach them from our brain. Dig them out. If we take pills or any other short-term measures to rid them, we are only cutting the stems off. The root cause of worry is still there. We need to spray our minds with Universal Love & Joy, and the weeds of disquiet will dissolve away, to be replaced with a bouquet of flowering delights. These taste and feel good and do not put on weight.
Just as I was about to leave, a very feeble old man came struggling down the thoroughfare, walking with a cane. He looked like a very old version of Mr. Grace from 'Are you being Served' (an old British sitcom). He looked as though he was one hundred and twenty years old. I found out later he was 'only' ninety-one. His mouth was wide open all the time. He reminded me of the bodies they dug up in Pompeii. He was very frail and every step seemed like his last.
When he finally made it to the doors of the café, he poked his head inside and a look of bewilderment came over him. He turned round and started to walk back towards the swimming pool. After a couple minutes he completed the sixty-foot walk. Another look of amazement came over him. He stood there for a few moments gazing around, contemplating his surroundings. He then turned round and started to make his way back up that long deck. By this time, everyone was looking at him. He leisurely made his way back to the café, mouth wide open, legs bowed, as thin as two sticks.
Once he got to the café, the doors opened again, and again there was a look of wonderment on his face. He turned round and started to make his way back. As he passed my table, I was just about to ask if I could help him, when one of the waitresses came up to him and inquired "Can I help you, sir?" He stopped, looked up at her, and asked;
"Which way is it to the Gymnasium?!!!!"
Yes, it really did happen.