5 Things We Can Learn From Gum

The great thing about learning is that it is not confined to certain times or a specific location. Learning can happen anytime, anywhere.

I like to highlight this fact by, once a month, looking at things we encounter on a daily basis and seeing what important lesson we can from them.

In today’s installment of “Five Things We Can Learn From Everyday Objects” we are going to talk about gum…

1. Nothing Lasts Forever

Remember Fruit Stripe gum? For those of you who don’t, it was a striped stick of gum that had a deliciously strong fruit flavor. For about 37 seconds. In less than a minute, you were left with a beige flavorless jaw workout.

I’ve never quite understood how some gum lasts a long time, while others lose flavor quickly. I don’t even know why gum loses flavor in the first place. All I know is that Fruit Stripe is great, but I want my products lasting more than 37 seconds.

2. Don’t Believe Everything You Hear

Once it is swallowed, gum is subjected to the same treatment as any other food. After it is recognized as useless by our digestive system, gum travels the same path as all other waste products.

True story.

But that is not what we hear about gum, is it? We hear that it stays in our stomachs for seven years. So why is gum always associated with this urban legend? Not sure. Once a rumor gets started, it is difficult to make it go away.

3. More Isn’t Always Better

One dollar is good. One hundred dollars is much better. Doesn’t work that way for gum. Chewing one piece is good. Chewing one hundred pieces will make you look like a chubby baby. We like to think that the more the merrier. But as in the case of gum, or messages in a group text, more isn’t always better.

4. Be Careful Where You Step

There are a few things in life you want to avoid stepping on. Cracks (or you’ll break your mother’s back), giant holes (or you’ll break your own back), and legos (you’ll want to smack your child’s back) just to name a few. Somewhere near the top of that list you’ll also find gum.

Anyone who has stepped in gum has two questions: what moron would just spit gum out on the sidewalk and why does gum stick to my shoe, but not my teeth? Since I can’t answer either, I will just advise you to watch where you step.

5. You May Never Expect What Can Help

I want to talk to the person who discovered that peanut butter helps remove gum from your hair. How many things did she try from pantry to remove the gum before she was successful with Skippy? Was she happy to have the gum out, or unhappy to have peanut butter hair? What did she use to remove the peanut butter…sprinkles?

I may never have the answers to my questions, much like you may never expect to receive help from where you do. Some things we just can’t see coming.