More Than Chocolate

Quality product PLUS artistic talent! 

Roger loved that old movie "Forrest Gump." He did not like too many movies, other than things related to the War in Europe, but he liked this one. He liked good old Forrest and his outlook on life. It was always positive. No matter what. 

One of his other loves in life, probably right behind myself and the kids, was chocolate. Any chocolate. Well, brown chocolate, not white. (It was too sweet) Go figure, for a man who said he did not care for sweets, he at a lot of chocolate.  He could eat chocolate like a lot of people eat chips.  "They say it is good for your heart" he would say.  "The fat grams are not good for your health." I would say. He would chuckle. 

Chocolate did not call my name, unless perhaps it was white chocolate, or perhaps European chocolate. I always brought him plenty of European chocolate when I went overseas. Quality. Real quality! (And they think it is normal chocolate.)  I rarely eat chocolate and only tolerate it fairly well in chocolate chip cookies. I believe this might change.

Tempt me with color and design and creativity and you'll have me hooked. Then tuck under it some amazing Belgian chocolate....just, WOW.  Now, if Roger had this box of chocolates, and there were no other chocolate in the house...these babies would have been gone....1-12, in  few minutes.  On the other hand, these will take me 12 days, unless I share. Which I might not. 

The difference here is the ability to SAVOR. Roger did savor some things, but not chocolate. All chocolate was the same to him...like chips.  He used to bring me a Whitman's Sampler from time to time, and he always let me go first.  I always went for the chocolate covered cherry because it was so pretty. Then I learned to identify different chocolates by the particular shape or swirl and if all else failed, the placement chart.  I kind of like to know what I am going to eat before I eat it.  

And I can not stand it when someone breaks a chocolate apart and leaves it back in the box because it was not what they wanted. (Some children know who this is)   You take a toothpick and stick the BOTTOM if you absolutely must know.  

Since this box of chocolates is MY box of chocolates, I wondered what Roger's Lesson might be in all of this. It might be that chocolate makes your day special.   That would be true. Not only is this box of chocolates beautiful, and quality chocolate...it was MADE for me by a precious young lady who chalked with me. Her chosen art form is food and she is going to be a Chocolatier Extraordinaire if that is the direction she chooses.

When I was reminded that chocolate made any of Roger's days special, I also recalled that there were lots of things that he savored. Chocolate just was not one of them. I will savor the chocolate. I will enjoy the beauty, the design, the fragrance. I will wonder what is inside. I will take the risk without knowing. Yes, Taylor told me what was inside, but she did not leave me a chart...so the wonder of it all will capture my attention. And yes, I can tell if it is white or dark by flipping it over...but I am not going to. I am going to commit, then savor.  And I know that THIS chocolate is special, and it will make 12 days VERY special. (Because I probably will not share)

The little red square one on the corner was luscious white chocolate filled with what tasted like lemon meringue.  Oh man! Whitman's has a LONG way to go to touch this! 

It also reminded me that we all have talents and that when we use them for others, we not only get joy ourselves, but others are blessed. And talent is not just about art either. Roger's talent was really his interest in people (maybe not his only talent, but his strongest one.) I see that more and more with every passing day. 

Thank you, Taylor for making my day special by chalking with me...and extra special by leading me to a lesson about chocolate from Roger! Thank you for sharing both talents....and I was amazingly blessed!