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Digesting The Importance Of Food

Some people -- especially members of my family -- tell me that my relationship with my cat is vexed.

In my view, my cat is devoted to me, but in the view of others she only likes me because I feed her all the time. In their opinion I am buying love, bribing my cat; and they say she loves food much more than she loves me.

It is true that my cat is interested in food. But that hardly makes her different from other mammals, including human ones. There is a Food Channel. Bookstores have large sections devoted entirely to food. Diet fads grow like arugula on trees — or would, if arugula grew on trees.

If human beings were honest, they would admit that they talk about food a lot more than they talk about Beethoven or even about the Kardashians.

After I feed my cat for the umpteenth time, she lies on the couch by my side and listens while I explain why I find Spinoza’s view of God to be inadequate. That’s more than human beings will do.

Years ago in my little hometown, a family intervened with one of its children because the lad had become so overweight. “Wilbur,” they asked, “Do you love food more than you love us?” Wilbur replied, “What a stupid question. Of course I do.”

This is Tom McBride, and that’s my Perspective.

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