In the Chocolate Shop of Life

One of the best things about going into a really nice chocolate ship is the variety. There are milk chocolates and dark chocolates, even some white chocolates. There are chocolates with nuts, with caramel, with peanut butter, with fruit. There are creams and jellies, and all kinds of shapes and sizes and textures. There are things covered in chocolate (cookies, pretzels, potato chips) and topped with toffee and sprinkles and wrapped in foil. It's a feast for the senses!

In the Chocolate Shop of Life, we have a wide variety as well. I've been thinking lately about what a strange confection I am - high energy and friendly but stubborn (and very outcome based - let's flash back to Improv). The Myers-Briggs has me totally pegged as an ENTJ (Extrovert Intuitive Thinking Judging) - it's the thinking/judging part that can make me so hard to deal with sometimes. So if I were a cookie, I'd be a Black and White cookie (I adore these by the way) more like a little flat yellow cake covered half in a fudgy chocolate frosting and half in a sweet white frosting. No gray area - none. I'm not saying being judgemental is a good thing, I'm just admitting it's the way I am. It can make me hard to deal with, but it can also help cut through a lot of BS if needed. If I were a candy in a chocolate shop, I'd definitely be a little nutty, but not fruity. Not too sweet, probably chewy. Maybe some sprinkles! Not everyone would like me, but I'd have some loyal fans.

What would you be? Steady, safe, dependable milk chocolate? Nothing wrong with that - milk chocolate is the base for almost everything else! A gorgeous strawberry dipped in chocolate? Delicious, but not much staying power. A butter cream - smooth and sensuous? A deep dark chocolate - very serious?

Some chocolates everyone likes, some are fascinating, some are so weird you don't know what to make of them. Some make you comfortable, some drive you wild, and some are rare treats. Most have pros and cons and some are right in some situations (the after dinner mint) and wrong in others (the after dinner mint). Just like people!

In the Chocolate Shop of Life, I want to thank the people who come back for my weird nutty, chewy, not too sweet self (but with sprinkles)! I don't think I thank my box of assorted friends enough. And I need to remind my thinking, judging self that it's the variety that makes life great. I might not want to eat the jelly-filled chocolates, but I'm still glad they're around.

Lessons from The Chocolate Shop of Life? Enjoy the variety, accept and embrace what makes you different, and celebrate those who are your kindred spirits (or at least don't spit you out).