I know, I am not expecting much sympathy for this one.
I’ve lost another pound. I mean, pounds come and go, but I was a pound deeper into the territory I have not been since I recovered from 2005. A new minimum for the last few years, in other words.
Losing weight is usually a cause for celebration in the western world (and then some) these days, and I think this says something profound about our civilization. Perhaps I should expound on that, given the opportunity. But I don’t feel like it today. Just like last time I wrote on this topic (on April 15), I have done nothing to earn this. Â I have eaten as much as I dared without getting sick. Â I have not exercised more than before. Â I have not changed my diet noticeably since before I moved. I have not started or stopped taking any drugs. To the best of my knowledge, the only difference is that I live in a slightly different house and have a somewhat longer commute.
I am aware that involuntary weight loss can be a symptom of very severe illnesses, but I cannot put my finger on anything else that would hint in that direction. Â So for now, all I can do is wait and hope that this will be for the good. Â Perhaps it is just my inner self that is manifesting in the physical world… if so, I will probably become very skinny indeed, for there is probably not (yet?) all that much in there. Still, I find that inner place more interesting as time passes. Â This may be a good thing, given the five certainties that many Buddhist monks recite daily:
It is certain that I will lose my youth.
It is certain that I will lose my health.
It is certain that I will lose those I love.
It is certain that I will lose all things in this world.
It is certain that I will lose my life.
All this simply by virtue of being human.
Buddhism is such a cheerful religion, don’t you think? ^_^ It is true, though. All things that are made of parts will come apart. Â This includes my body, but I am in no hurry to experience it personally. I am perfectly willing to take that on faith as long as possible! But is it best to lose everything in one clean stroke when the last certainty comes true… or is it perhaps better to lose it one pound at a time?