“I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.” – Jesus
One of my favorite things I’ve learned from my Catholic faith is that everything in the natural world is inherently good and that all Satan (and evil people) can do is scribble on it. They can’t ruin it. Given that love is the great cleanser it doesn’t matter how much something is scribbled on; it can be restored to its original grandeur.
Case in point today: the concept of indulgence. It has a bad rap in a lot of circles and this article is my own little magic eraser.
Here’s what I perceive indulgence to mean in many modern circles: extra, luxury, unnecessary, a sign of laziness or even conceitedness. Now, my take.
Think for a moment of what you do when you indulge in something. You set aside time for it, perhaps forsaking work or other things that could be done during that time. Because you know you’re indulging you really allow yourself to feel the pleasure of the experience, to drop deeply into it, to let it encompass you. You allow yourself to receive something from the experience (which implies a vulnerability and inherent appreciation of what the activity has to offer, what goodness it contains).
How much would you love to indulge in quality time with someone you love? With time spent enjoying nature, a movie you love, a craft that fulfills you, an awesome book, traveling to a new place, or perhaps just spending way too long in the bathtub with a glass or two of wine? Can you see how each of these things honors 3 things – the beauty and goodness of the object (nature, literature, creation, warm water, culture, architecture), your own humanity and need to absorb the goodness of life, as well as the creators of those things? True indulgence is extremely life giving and quite necessary for human beings who are far far more complex than the machines we tend to model ourselves after.
Here’s a little trick too – we can reframe many things and make them an indulgent experience. Tired of the bedtime/nap time routine with your kids? Recall that this is one of a finite number of times you will have this opportunity, recall your true values and remember that you actually WANT this time with your kids. Time in traffic can be used to indulge in podcasts, yummy music or conversations. It certainly takes some internal strength and desire to make these reframes, but at the end of our lives that is what will make them either full of delight or full of frustration – choice and desire.
There is an element of indulgence that is embodied gratitude. Isn’t that what good things are for? To be enjoyed? God made us for joy, for heaven, for fulfillment, and for nothing else. Allowing the goodness of experiences to seep into the very pores of your being is allowing Him to love you, is to allow the gift to be received.
So this is my invitation to you – indulge in something (as many somethings as you want) everyday for a week, and notice the ways this practice changes how you view your life, yourself, God, and the nature of reality.
Indulge in half and half with coffee (a match made in heaven), a long walk/run in a beautiful place, time spent in the backyard enjoying your favorite parts of it, lovemaking, the feeling of satisfaction after finishing a task (literally pat yourself on the back if you’re brave enough), your favorite song, a nap (look at you you rebel), extra baby snuggles, a date (real, phone, FaceTime) with a friend you love spending time with, your favorite craft… you get the idea. And then come back and tell me about it!
The Eye of the Needle 