August #InkRipples – Guilty Pleasures

I must clarify right off the bat that I have trouble with the phrase guilty pleasures. The “guilty” part to be precise. Feeling guilt over a pleasure indicates that you are doing it when you shouldn’t be, therefore you feel guilty. I know – it’s just a saying – but one of my very strong beliefs in this life is that I live it so that I don’t feel guilt. The decisions I make, the actions I take are in line with my morals and beliefs. From doing what’s right, to telling friends and family I love them, to apologizing if I’ve done wrong, and even to popping a bonbon into my mouth – I work hard to live without guilt and I suggest every person do the same.

So, putting together a post on this is difficult for me even though I know it’s only meant to indicate how I indulge myself. But honestly, I work dang hard for my rewards, whether they be time to sit and read or an evening out with the girls, I don’t take anything I don’t feel I’ve worked for already – therefore, why would I feel guilty, right? If you haven’t figured it out, I’m a pretty literal person, and this month’s ink ripples concept is really screwing with me.

Calories are often a guilty pleasure (I rarely feel consumption guilt, because I exercise regularly) and there is one indulgence I haven’t provided myself in a long time that I think is shocking enough for this post. And it’s simply because I rarely find it in our small town grocery stores. Sour cream herring! Yes, I used to buy a jar (maybe 3.5 to 4 ounce jar) of sour cream herring and sit down with a fork and eat the entire thing in one sitting. Dang it, my mouth is watering while I type this. Though I probably never did it more than once or twice a year it has been a number of years since I saw my last jar. Sad really. But funny how I hadn’t thought about it until composing this silly post.

Other favorite food indulgences are crackers and squeeze cheese, which I’m sure is super bad for you, or potato chips and French onion dip. Sheesh, sour cream, cheese, French onion dip – my Wisconsin upbringing is showing!

Other than reading when there is housework to be done (but honestly, when isn’t there housework to be done?) and seeing a movie in the movie theater (so stupid expensive anymore) I can’t think of anything else that might invoke my guilt for claiming the time or money to do it.

The take away from my ripple this month is far more philosophical than one might expect. Live your life, make each decision, so that if you are taken from this earth at any moment you will have nothing to feel guilty for. No one else can do this for you but YOU.

Now, the question is, what indulgence are you going to make sure you've worked to earn because you don't want to go without and now realize you don't have to feel guilt over? 

Ripples in the Inkwell is a themed meme hosted by Mary Waibel, Katie L. Carroll, and Kai Strand posting on the second Monday of every month. To participate compose your own post regarding the theme of the month, and link back to the three host blogs. Feel free to post whenever you want during the month, but be sure to include #inkripples when you promote so readers can find you. The idea is that we toss a word or idea into the inkwell and each post is a new ripple. There is no wrong interpretation. Themes and images and more information can be found here.