It’s 4th of July. I celebrate the freedom of creativity.
I read in the paper that Robin Williams has returned for a tune-up of sorts to the Hazelton, Minn rehab clinic that he had gone to earlier in his life. It is not, his spokesman said, because he lapsed in his sobriety but just needs to recalibrate. I totally understand that.
He said in 2006 about his decision to go to rehab after 20 years of sobriety:
“It’s [addiction] — not caused by anything, it’s just there. It waits. It lays in wait for the time when you think, ‘It’s fine now, I’m OK.’ Then, the next thing you know, it’s not OK. Then you realize, ‘Where am I? I didn’t realize I was in Cleveland.'”
I’m Weight Watcher member who reached my goal five years ago and has beaten the odds by maintaining it, but every day the truth of his last sentence could just as easily be “Then you realize, “What? I didn’t realize I ate the whole cake.”
I’ve had to learn to apply creativity to my diet. I photograph cakes now instead of eating them. It is a freedom of choice worth celebrating. Creativity really is the best health plan. I am now learning to digitally paint my photographs of cakes with Topaz filters.
The secret to not eating them?
I photograph them in the case at the store and don’t bring them home.
I’m in rehab every day, making decisions, sometimes bad ones, then, recalibrating, always aware that those lost pounds are circling the neighborhood just waiting till I say, “It’s fine now. I’m OK.”
I’m not fine. Never will be. Cakes are pretty. Three truths on this Independence Day 2014.
I wish you the best, Robin Williams.
