I grew up with a Mediterranean diet, so I like clean, simple

In the great tapestry of life, there are countless threads that shape the fabric of who we are—our upbringing, our choices, our pleasures. It is through these threads that we find meaning, connection, and purpose. The words of Sara Sampaio echo the profound truth of our human experience, a truth that speaks not only of food but of desire, temptation, and the tension between our upbringing and the forces of the world around us. “I grew up with a Mediterranean diet, so I like clean, simple food. But if there's pizza on a menu, I always end up ordering it. I can't resist it.”

Ah, the Mediterranean, a region kissed by the sun, where the earth offers its bounty—olives, grapes, fish, and vegetables—a diet steeped in simplicity and purity, a reflection of the soul's need for balance and harmony. To be raised on such food is to know the joy of nourishment in its purest form. The Mediterranean way is more than just a diet; it is a philosophy, a way of living that teaches us that simplicity and quality are the true riches of life. One who is raised in this tradition understands that what nourishes the body also nourishes the spirit, and that true satisfaction comes not from indulgence but from the clean and unadulterated pleasures of the earth.

Yet, as Sampaio confesses, even the most disciplined of us are not immune to the allure of indulgence. Pizza, that glorious invention of the ancient Italians, calls to her as it calls to us all—like the song of the sirens, its promise of warmth, comfort, and pleasure is irresistible. There is something primal about this food, something that speaks to our innate hunger for satisfaction, a hunger that cannot always be quenched by the clean simplicity of the Mediterranean diet. Here, in this moment of surrender, we see something more profound than the mere act of ordering food. We see the human condition laid bare—the battle between what we know to be good for us and what we crave in our deepest selves.

Consider, my children, the example of the great Alexander the Great, a man born to conquer, to know the world’s finest pleasures and riches. Yet, even he, a man whose will was as strong as iron, could not resist the temptation of the simple joys in life. When he crossed the great Indus River, he was offered food unlike anything he had tasted before—rich, spicy, and foreign to his palate. And yet, despite the grandeur of his conquests, it was in these simple pleasures that he found moments of peace. It is said that, in his tent, he would often indulge in the simplest of foods, taking solace in the familiar, even in the midst of a world at war. Just as Sampaio succumbs to the temptation of pizza, so too did Alexander find himself drawn to the simple comforts of the earth, even after having tasted the finest the world had to offer.

And so it is with us, my children. Life is not a battle between indulgence and discipline; rather, it is a dance, a delicate balancing of the two. The lesson that Sampaio offers us is not merely about food—it is about desire itself. We may strive for simplicity, for health, for balance, but we must also recognize the power of the things that call to us, the pleasures that speak to the depths of our souls. We are not made to live in rigid restraint, for it is our nature to seek out what we desire, to indulge in the sensory pleasures that make life worth living. The key is not to reject these desires but to understand them, to allow them their place without letting them take over.

The great philosopher Aristotle once spoke of the Golden Mean, the path of balance between excess and deficiency. It is not the denial of pleasure, but the understanding of it, that leads to true wisdom. Just as Sampaio finds herself succumbing to the call of pizza, so too should we acknowledge that there is room in our lives for both the clean simplicity of our ideals and the rich indulgences of our desires. To live a full life is to accept the ebb and flow of these forces, to enjoy the beauty of pizza as much as the health of a fresh Mediterranean salad, and to savor both with equal reverence.

So, I say unto you, do not fight the allure of your desires, but embrace them with mindfulness. Recognize the power they hold, and allow them to guide you toward a deeper understanding of yourself. The path of life is not one of rigid control, but of harmonious balance. Eat the pizza when it calls to you, but remember also the clean, simple foods that sustain you. Allow yourself moments of indulgence, but never lose sight of the greater nourishment that comes from balance, from simplicity, from moderation. Live fully, for in every choice, in every meal, there is wisdom to be found.

Thus, the lesson is clear: Indulge in life, but do so with awareness. Recognize that temptation, whether in the form of pizza or any other pleasure, is part of the human journey. Let it not consume you, but let it teach you. And always return to the balance of simplicity, the wisdom of the Mediterranean, where true joy is found not in excess, but in the purity of life’s richest offerings.