delicious

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As a means of entertainment and a way to gauge my dwindling ability to be up-to-date, I watch a TV quiz show called "Jeopardy." Contestants choose individual questions from five or six categories and then phrase their answers in the form of a question.

Last night, one of the questions came in the form of a video clip of former U.S. President Bill Clinton referring to the reflections of an unnamed Roman emperor. The answer was, "Who is Marcus Aurelius?"

I always liked the "Meditations of Marcus Aurelius."

And the not-terribly-novel thought crossed my mind that anyone can read a book and become educated about philosophy or religion or some other subject that they find attractive ... something that speaks to the places within them that they may not speak much about. It's a starting point for what may become a serious interest or it may remain an after-thought and a side show to the activities that fill up a busy life.

At what point does a touching side-show turn into a willingness to really dig in? I don't know, but I do know that the put-up-or-shut-up aspect is always present in the dreams that anyone dreams. And perhaps the reason that people decline -- or bring only a half-hearted effort -- to their secret loves is the knowledge that once you start digging into a dream or hope or belief, the dreamy deliciousness of the dream is forced to retreat. The more you dig, the plainer it becomes; the more you act, the less delicious or marvelous the dream is.

Get thee behind me, Satan! Deliciousness is just too delicious! I'd rather be entertained than honestly informed. Bring on the eye candy, the ear candy, the mind candy, the heart candy!

Get thee behind me, Satan! Today, I will believe in the deliciousness of God.
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