Chocolate O'Clock

I've heard it said that when people look back on their lives they won't wish they worked more hours a week. But I think they might wish they'd eaten more Chocolate. Is there an occasion during which it is inappropriate to eat Chocolate? I cannot think of even one. Even some of the most pious mothers have been known to sneak a small chocolate treat to her youngster in order to bribe them into submission during church services. And on the flip side, I cannot think of one event or activity that is not made better by chocolate. Okay, swimming and hiking are made considerably messier. But better none-the-less.

Chocolate is not like eating just anything. It is always special. Even when you eat just a small amount at "Chocolate O'Clock" like I do every day at around 2pm, it never becomes routine. Every day at Chocolate O'Clock I set aside just a few moments to sit down with a hot cup (drinker's choice) and a bit of high quality chocolate. My husband's mother, Sally had her own chocolate philosophy, as I suspect many women (and some men) do. She thought that if you are going to eat chocolate, you should splurge on only the finest chocolates. Anything less was not worth her time. 

The older I get, the more I value her perspective on this. I don't want to set off a huge controversy here (just one big enough to get me more readers). So I will concede that sometimes a Chocolate bar is just what you are craving. After all, it is conveniently mixed with other yummy ingredients and it is generally readily available. But when you have a moment to think it through, you should plan ahead for Chocolate O'Clock. It is important. After all, you don't want to come to the end of your life and wish you had eaten more (or better quality) chocolate. "If only" is the saddest phrase in our language.