Temptation

In this age of global warming, even in areas of usually temperate climate, when it rains it ends up pouring.
Similarly, it seems to me that not only it is easy to have enough of a bad thing, but also a good thing, if in Costco-like portions, can be hard to digest.

First of all, a confession.
I hide a terrible secret.
In my filing cabinet, under a pile of plastic folders and notebooks, there is a box of milk chocolates I snatched from the kitchen for my own, undisputed, unjudged, solitary perusal. When the need hits, I just close the door and let the endorphins do their job.

Having said this, even my apparently bottom-less capacity for chocolate has its limits. The other night I went out for a nice meal. Starter, main, dessert and a bottle of wine. Already well above my daily point allowance, I got home to find that a generous guest had brought a box of delicious chocolates hand-crafted by a famous Neapolitan chocolatier. I tucked in, no hesitation. Three chocolates later, rolled myself back to my room, I found that the same guest had also thought specifically of my personal preferences and left a sizeable slab of what translates as 'forest chocolate' on my bedside table. A heaven of flaky bliss.
Even I had reservations and decided not to open the box, which is now staring at me almost incredulous, if not right out pissed off.

So, I am wondering: is there a point after which temptations cease to be such? When the forbidden is transformed into habit, derobbed of its appeal?

'The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it', 'I can resist everything except temptation', 'Do you really think it is weakness that yields to temptation? I tell you that there are terrible temptations which it requires strength, strength and courage to yield to' - said Oscar Wilde, somebody with a deep understanding of the subject. So, Oscar, are you saying that we just surrender?

I quite like Mark Twain's take on the issue: 'There are several good protections against temptation, but the surest is cowardice'. In my case, the scary prospect of admitting to never-ending amounts of calories. But what if fear is preventing us from experiencing life's most secret pleasures, from journeys into the unknown, on a path of self-discovery?

Too many questions. I shall stop right there. Head hurts. Need a coffee. Maybe a chocolate to go with it.