A Whole Lot of Eating Going On

Yesterday, my original plan was to attend a basic stock market investing seminar. I had to postpone that to another day since I had to drive my dad to Sampaloc SDA Church. I decided to get the result of my fecalysis after safely leaving my dad at the church’s gate.

So I traveled to Taft Avenue via U.N. Avenue since the lab was along Taft, near the corner of Padre Faura. It took me about 10 seconds to get my stool exam result and about one minute to urinate in their restroom.

My classmate-turned-friend, Cecile, texted me then, asking where I was. Too lazy to text out a reply, I gave her a call instead. It turned out she got off work early that day. We had a class together at 6:00 P.M. but, it was only about 3:30 P.M. then. It was much too early to go to our campus where the parking is quite steep.

She wanted me to meet her at Robinson’s Manila to eat and watch another movie with her. I said I wanted a full vegetarian meal at a nearby hospital (MAMC).

We met, instead, along Taft Avenue, near the corner of Pedro Gil. I drove to Donada Street and parked at the NPUM compound. At the MAMC cafeteria, I ordered my vegetarian budget meal (one cup of rice plus two viands) costing 50 pesos. Cecile didn’t want any so she watched me eat as I heartily chowed down my food. She did taste a little bit of it, said it was all right, and then left it alone again.

As I ate, she asked me all sorts of questions about food and drinks—why I eat and don’t eat certain foods; why I drink and don’t drink certain drinks; and why I do my best to eat and drink only those that would bring me good health.

There are two answers to her questions regarding food and drinks. One: the Bible says it is God who owns our bodies, that we are only stewards of it and therefore must care for it as it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. (“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.) Two: scientific research has verified the writings of Ellen G. White, particularly about health. Healthwise, certain food and drinks will only do our bodies harm. They will only lead to diseases and even premature death. It’s true we will not live forever on this earth, for death is just around the corner. However, why should we cut short the life that God has given us by consuming harmful food and drinks?

Two minutes after I finished eating, we headed back to the car. I drove straight to our campus building and parked the car at Basement level 5. Then I accompanied Cecile to the third floor podium for her food. We went around the different food shops, finally stopping at Mexicali for a burrito and bottomless iced tea. This time around, she ate; I watched.

Afterwards, we went to the restroom to brush our teeth before quickly heading off to class—we were late almost 30 minutes!

Written by hand on November 16, 2007 at 8:28 P.M.