In the pantry, hidden in the cavernous depths, buried under, almonds, half-eaten bags of chips, dried fruit leathers and the like, lies a box of chocolates in a heart-shaped box. Buried purposefully, so that when the pantry door gets opened the temptation of a Valentine chocolate does not leap out at me every single time.
If you were to excavate this treasure of empty calories and mood changing goodness (I am a firm believer that chocolate has the mystical powers to cure almost any ailment), you would find a half-empty box with little brown wrappers. Upon closer investigation, you might find a good number of chocolates with a sliver of a bite taken from them or a little puncture of teeth on the bottom where no one who glanced quickly in the box would be none the wiser.
A new box of chocolates is a great mystery to me. No one knows the hidden gems that await inside. Would it be caramel goodness? Or a disgusting cherry-like mush? Being of the curious nature, I eat the first few and then I start exploring. Taking a nibble here, a bit off the bottom there, I want to discover what is in each chocolate and what I am missing.
I live my life a bit like the way I eat chocolates. I like to try things out, see what fits. If there is some hidden caramel-ly goodness of the evil hidden unidentifiable cream. I just don’t want to miss out on anything. In high school, I wanted a taste of life on the Colorguard team. Caramel goodness, although I am not that great at flag twirling, nor dancing–the 2 components that make up a Colorguard team. In college, I sampled about 5 majors until they forced me to commit to one or not be able to graduate. After college, I tried my hand at teaching – yucky, unidentifiable cherry-flavored cream. Three years ago, I started my photography business –a delicious chocolate mocha, melt in your mouth goodness.
My husband, when he gets a box of chocolates, he orders an entire custom box of his very favorite — Milk Bordeaux (from See’s Candy). He’s perfectly happy to enjoy what he knows he likes. He also orders the same thing every time at restaurants. I am the type to eat a bit off of everyone’s plates (and trust me, that REALLY annoys some people). I’m not saying his way is wrong, but for me, I just don’t want to miss out on anything.
Forrest Gump said, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” Well, my life philosophy is, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get, so try it all and see what you like!”
Happy Wednesday!