I will begin by saying that I’m totally aware of how comforting some people find chocolate during dark times. Whether it’s heartaches, celebrations, that time of the month, or when you may just be bored, it’s always there in your kitchen counter, fridge, or maybe even a drawer.
I recently went into a Wiki spiral, as one naturally does at 2 A.M., to find out why chocolate is such a big part of people’s self soothing habits. And my findings were interesting. Here’s a little history lesson for you: we’re going back to when the king of Spain, Charles V, and his council received the first samples of chocolate imported from the Aztec trade. It became a big deal amongst high society, evolving in more varied forms during the 17th-19th centuries, eventually becoming accessible to every type of class in society. During the 20th century, the U.S military commissioned truffles and chocolate bars for WWII soldiers as a form of encouragement, consolation, and to comfort their hearts during battle.
Throughout literal history, chocolate has been a symbol of warmth, luxury, and decadence. Personally… I detest it, it brings me no joy, it breaks me out… It doesn’t make me feel the way that it does others and sometimes that’s just the way life flows. Chocolate is the enemy.
Well, ok, it’s my personal enemy, anyways.
And maybe I am exaggerating…a little bit…
I can be persuaded with white chocolate covered strawberries, is that hypocritical? Absolutely not… but you just shamed me through the screen, didn’t you?
(P.S. It most definitely is hypocritical, but stick with me here, I have a point.)
I’m not an alien for this (!!!!!!)
Trying to not yuck eachothers yum is a talent that many do not uphold in their day to day practice and I really do try. Because it’s never truly about liking or disliking someone else’s yum, but respecting that you’re not the one consuming it.
This is where I begin my usual tangents.
I have these actual full blown discussions with my best friend about how, although she may not understand or like my niches and tastes, that’s ok, because they’re not for her. It always snowballs, someway, somehow, to one main concept: “The Principle.”
The reason I started writing this article about chocolate and yucking yums wasn’t because I like it or not, it’s the principle.
The decadence of being respected and understood even in disagreement, with the smallest joys, because sometimes there are things that are as simple as respecting and understanding that YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIKE WHAT I LIKE.
I feel like I’m repeating myself.
I have opinions, thoughts, and concerns… you have opinions, thoughts, and concerns as well, and we don’t have to make it each other’s problem.
Some people receive simpler joys than others. Just because they are not yours does not make them less valuable.
Chocolate cures hearts.
Just not mine.