There have been a few things that I have written about that may have you question my sanity, but this? When has having to run to the porcelain throne ever been not a bad thing, much less a blessing? You may have been wondering if I lost my mind. The second question has yet to be determined. How on earth we are going to look at how we can view intestinal distress as a blessing in our lives?

To be honest, it was not the unholy event that was the blessing, it was what followed it. Let me explain the circumstances. I used to be a regular fast food person. For those of you who know me now, this may seem a bit hard to believe, but it is true. I used to frequent two of the major burger chains. In the space of a year, dramatic things happened that changed everything. Let us start with chain that has a clown for its mascot. That should tell you something about the quality of product they are putting out. I used to enjoy their signature sandwich. One day while consuming the offering served on a sesame seed bun, my special sauce tasted extra…well…special. I didn’t think anything of it. Later that afternoon, while playing ball with some neighborhood kids, I did think about it. It appeared nature was calling and it was dialing 911! I also lived on the second floor of a duplex. It was quite an exciting journey with the end precariously in doubt. After that, the clown did not look so funny and I never returned to that establishment.

Instead of realizing that fast food has some inherent digestive risks, I just switched brands. Now I went to the fast food chain that makes you feel like it is run by royalty. I recall liking their claim to fame even better. They even built one right by where I lived at the time. It is still there, and ironically, is right next to the gym I go to. On this day I was starving and going through the drive through. I could not wait to dive in and enjoy the burger I had just purchased. Although they claim it is flame-broiled, it had a slight metallic taste. Not unlike one would get from a grill that had just been cleaned. In short order, my stomach felt like it had a whopper of a job to do. I was sick for the entire day. I have never been back.

Stomach upset is never a good thing. It is your body’s way of eliminating toxins and things that don’t belong. The fact that my body no longer craves food from two unhealthy establishments is quite a blessing. It was probably just bad luck that I had the same result from both places, but it was actually my good fortune. Feeling like my life was passing before my eyes as I sat in the men’s room was not a joy. Not wanting to consume products that are quite unhealthy for you is a blessing however. Whether it is a certain food, getting sick from drinking too much of a certain alcohol, (Southern Comfort at a dart tournament for me) or any other ill-advised consumption, our bodies can steer us in the right direction even when our brains cannot. It is, however, our brains that link up association between illness and the item consumed.