According to Google, temptare is Latin meaning: handle, test, try. I think we all know it today as “temptation”. Temptation surrounds us patiently seeking a way in. Temptation constantly “tests” and “tries” us seeing how we “handle” the circumstance.
If you were a betting person what would you bet on – temptation which flows unabated throughout the world, or our individual will power?
In a fight between you and the world, bet on the world.
Franz Kaftka
Temptation came to my mind the other day at a local King Soopers grocery store book signing event. I was located just inside the front entrance (a prime spot). I was also directly across from a table displaying donuts on sale for $5 per dozen (tough competition). I can report that temptation scored a lot of victories over will power that day. A store employee restocking the table told me they sold 90 dozen donuts that morning.
You could tell people were conscious of their capitulation – I mean, we are talking fresh donuts here. The after math? Only the customers know how they felt after the donuts were eaten. But I observed many in that moment of choice:
Conscious - is when you are aware of something.
Conscience - is when you wish you weren't.
Unknown Sage
I watched one Mom with two children sitting in the basket part of her shopping cart leaving little room for groceries let alone a large, flat box of donuts, when she entered the store. As she approached the donut table I think I saw her weighing, just for a blink, whether to keep the donuts or the children! She settled on placing the box of donuts and her kids’ laps in the basket.
Lest you think I was merely a bystander or I have some super-will-power, power… no. I joined in. I didn’t buy a dozen to take home but I did buy one to eat during my book signing stint. Again, we’re talking fresh donuts!
We may all agree that the nutritional value of donuts isn’t great. That day however, the psychological impact was obvious. Every person I saw at the donut sale table had a smile on their face. They seemed genuinely excited with their purchase. Besides, who frowns when buying donuts? I guess that’s why the grocery store displays a table of fresh donuts at the front entrance – they know temptation has an impressive won-loss record.
Before you think King Sooper marketers are some Darth Vader types, I should also report that the donut table was set up right next to a fresh fruit cooler. I’m happy to say that sales of fresh fruit were equally as brisk. I wonder if I was witnessing guilt vs temptation play out before me. I had one customer ask me how long donuts last. Perhaps he was negotiating in his mind – if he bought a dozen and it took a week to eat them, was that a lesser evil? I don’t know about you but once I invite donuts into my house it just feels like they call my name until they’re all devoured.
I’m guilty then - my temptare hasn’t improved through centuries of evolution. But after all, we are talking about donuts.
GAP
When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.
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