My daughter–in-law Jess recently told me about a TV program called “Secret Eaters” and while I was channel surfing one day, there it was, so I had it on in the background while I rested.

Basically it was about two rather large people, who were partners; they were certainly in the obese class and yet when they were questioned about their diet they said they ate normally, even having vegetables and could not understand their excessive weight. To them the problem was obviously glandular and certainly there were some other factors at play that maybe science had not discovered yet. Of this they were very sure because it certainly had nothing to do with their diet or lifestyles.

The program then followed this couple around for 5 days. All their eating habits were filmed and as you can guess they stuffed themselves at every possible occasion. When they thought they were not being filmed they ate even more. In fact it turned out his daily intake was in excess of 4000 calories and hers was only slightly less and never did one vegetable come close to their lips. When they were confronted with this the extent of their denial became clear and naturally the emotions under the denial came to the surface. Denial is basically a heartbreak issue and the outcome lifted the blinkers from their eyes. They were consuming twice the daily requirement of food.

The topic of denial is up right now with what is happening between Israel and Gaza, so much justification and yet complete denial of the slaughter of women and children. There is also denial of the killing of the Malaysian Airline passengers; no one has taken responsibility. Denial is a very poor strategy for dealing with what we do not want to deal with; we are storing up a mountain of hurt. All of us will have our blinkers removed one day and what hides under the denial will show itself.

Today is a really good day to take a few minutes and see where you are in denial, in denial about what you are doing, in denial of someone else’s suffering, in denial about the pain we have inflicted or are inflicting.

And just so that you know – my weight problem is glandular, and now time for a few vegetables!

With love,

Jeff