May 19, 2026- Grace for impulse

Better to shun the bait, than struggle in the snare.

~William Blake

We have so many things tugging at our impulses. We have cravings. We have distractions. We have advertisers. We have our algorithms. It is really difficult not to take the bait.

Discipline allows us to say yes to our intentions. This does not mean we have to deny ourselves every urge. It does not mean we need to live an austere life of purity and chastity. There is room in our lives for both structure and spontaneity. There is room to scratch an occasional itch, so long as it doesn’t cause us to ignore our skin care.

Our intentions must be our priority. We have to make sure we take care of the first things first. We can have a little bit of dessert, as long as we make sure we get our protein and our vegetables. We can spend some time scrolling, as long as we take care of our relationships.

If we deny our impulses all the time, the pull will only get stronger. We may start to obsess over the things we tell ourselves we can’t have. Prudence is often more about moderation than it is about abstinence.

There’s plenty in this universe for us to enjoy and we should get to experience much of it. If we have structures and routines in place that make sure our intentions are honored, we don’t need to admonish ourselves for allowing some grace for impulse.