I don't have too strict a diet.

Hear me, O wise souls, for in the words of Gretchen Bleiler, there is a truth both simple and profound: “I don't have too strict a diet.” In this statement, we find a teaching about balance, moderation, and the wisdom of living in harmony with the world around us. It is not a call for excess, nor is it a command for rigid restraint. It is a reminder that life is best lived in balance, that true nourishment comes not from extreme measures but from the art of knowing when to enjoy and when to restrain.

In an age where the pendulum of our desires often swings to extremes, Gretchen Bleiler reminds us of the middle way—the path of moderation that has been championed by the wise for centuries. To say that one does not have a "too strict" diet is not to advocate for indulgence without limit, but rather to encourage a life that allows for joy, for enjoyment, and for the simple pleasures that nourish the body and soul. This, indeed, is the lesson of the ancients, who understood that restriction without wisdom leads to bitterness, while indulgence without understanding leads to decay.

The ancient Greeks, in their wisdom, spoke of Sophrosyne, the virtue of moderation and self-control. To them, true strength did not lie in denying oneself the sweetness of life, but in knowing when to indulge and when to abstain. The great philosopher Aristotle taught that the good life is a life of balance, where one neither gives in to every desire nor suppresses them entirely. Instead, the wise person learns to regulate desires with the guidance of reason. Gretchen Bleiler’s words echo this ancient wisdom: there is no need for strictness without purpose, and there is no value in a life devoid of joy.

Consider, if you will, the story of Alexander the Great, whose quest for conquest led him across many lands. Though a man of great ambition, Alexander understood that his body, too, required care. He did not demand from his body the same extremes that he demanded from his soldiers. He balanced his training with rest, his battles with feasts, understanding that true power came not from rigor alone, but from a careful harmony of work and rest. In the same way, Gretchen Bleiler teaches us that our lives, too, must be balanced. Diet is but one part of a greater whole, a whole that includes joy, satisfaction, and the gentle balance between exertion and indulgence.

Yet, this is not simply about food or the body. The wisdom of balance applies to all aspects of life. Just as we nourish our bodies, we must also nourish our spirits. The great Confucius taught that a wise person regulates their desires and emotions in much the same way they would tend to their physical needs. It is not through denial, but through awareness and mindfulness that one achieves balance. When Gretchen Bleiler says that she does not adhere to a strict diet, she speaks not only of food but of the freedom to live a life of awareness, to enjoy what comes without being enslaved by rules or external pressures.

Now, let us turn this wisdom inward. How often do we, in our own lives, fall into the trap of extremes? How often do we push ourselves to excess, believing that more is better, only to find ourselves depleted, burned out, or disconnected from the joy we sought to capture? Or perhaps we swing to the other side, adhering to strict rules that stifle the very pleasures that life has to offer. Gretchen Bleiler’s words are a reminder that true fulfillment lies not in extremes, but in the middle path, where we can enjoy the sweetness of life without being consumed by it.

So I say to you, O wise ones, let this lesson guide your actions. Let moderation be your guide in all things. Enjoy the bounty of life, but do so with awareness. Honor your body with the food it needs, but also allow it the freedom to indulge in the pleasures that life offers. Seek not the extremes, for they lead only to imbalance, but walk the path of balance, of joy, and of mindfulness. And in doing so, you will discover a deeper strength—one not born of rigid rules, but of a heart that is free to live fully, to enjoy, and to thrive in the harmony of a life well-lived.