Oh, Henry

"To take what there is in life and use it, without waiting forever in vain for the preconceived, to dig deep into the actual and get something out of that; this, doubtless, is the right way to live." Yesterday, my yoga instructor offered up this quote from Henry James, in support of his own beliefs about stress avoidance and bliss grabbing. Even back in the late nineteenth century, there were some well respected folks who appeared to believe in the somewhat hedonistic yogic principle that life -- the present life -- is there for the taking, and it's a waste of time and energy to wish for something that just isn't there.

And then comes the FDA (The Federal Fun Destruction Agency), putting on its Big Brother hat and promulgating regulations which would require various restaurant chains and other businesses that provide food to post calorie counts on menu boards.

I have experienced this nightmarish governmental interference in New York, where the state already imposes such rules. Frighteningly large numbers emblazoned on once delectable looking menus have forever ruined my enjoyment of Auntie Anne's pretzels. Though I rarely order anything other than plain old coffee at Starbucks, I have now been forever shamed from doing so for fear that a "piggy" mask will be slapped on my face the moment the words "mocha frappucino" escape my lips. Not to mention the extra rolls of fat that will immediately appear around my midsection as my suddenly failing heart ceases to beat.

Have I missed something? Does everyone on the planet not have access to the Internet, which can offer up, at the mere touch of a button, specific calorie and nutritional information on anything someone might want to put in her mouth? Well, almost anything. As I see it, the folks who don't have Internet access are probably not frequenting Auntie Anne's or Starbucks anyway, and, for the rest of us, well, there is such a thing as TOO MUCH INFORMATION! Why should I suffer just because somebody else has no idea that seemingly innocuous snacks are actually fattening? Most of us know the truth; we are just choosing to ignore it, and enjoy.

Thankfully, movie theatres have managed to get themselves exempted from the frightening administrative rules.

True, a bucket of popcorn and a soda can contain a full day's worth of an average person's recommended calorie intake, but does anyone really order that stuff in a movie theatre thinking about heart health or figure enhancement? It's about escapism, stress relief, and -- I know this is a dirty word -- pleasure, guys; the folks who prefer to have all the fun sucked out of their lives are sitting home checking their stock portfolios and nibbling on celery and carrots.

I'm guessing Henry James never experienced the pure joy of sitting in a movie theatre munching on popcorn, but when he said "dig deep into the actual and get something out of that" he had clearly experienced a premonition of a tub full of greasy, salty kernels.

"Start living the life you imagined," said Henry. "Don't pass it by--the immediate, the real, the only, the yours." I bet the guy never even heard of a calorie.