Every day before school I would look forward to opening my lunchbox to see what was inside. There would always be a surprise in there, a delicious chocolate of some sorts (that was actually no surprise!) and kit kats were my favourite! I would savour the taste, eat around the edges first, then bite into the middle part…yummy!
I was brought up on chocolate – as you can see – a chocolate in your lunchbox everyday just like painting a rock a day or taking a photo a day pretty much forms the habit…so if you’ve ever shared chocolate with me or eaten chocolate with me, or given me chocolate, then you will know – I LOVE chocolate!!
So these memories of chocolate are firmly imprinted and although I still eat chocolate today, I’m a bit more choosy about what type, what the ingredients are and how and where it was made. Kit kats are a no no for me now as I refuse to eat anything that Nestle makes and I prefer to support chocolate makers through Fair Trade and sometimes an Aotearoa made Porirua Whittakers chocolate bar will find it’s way to our fridge. And by the way, I’m so glad they have said NO more to palm oil in their chocolate!
But! This is not to say that I will say NO to your chocolate if you offered it to me! And dark chocolate – if you’re going to give me chocolate, give me dark chocolate!!
So why all the talk about chocolate?
Well, the chocolate fairy was my Dad. Everyday without fail (what I remember!) a chocolate in our lunchboxes. So I blame him for my sweet tooth and LOVE for chocolate and my use of chocolate as an emotional filler. They say that chocolate is an emotional food – well I’m the proof of that!
And it’s my Dad’s birthday today. He is now 84. I spoke to him a couple of days ago to remind him although he did not need reminding! And then I rang him again tonight (I think I interrupted his dinner lol) and he said, didn’t you ring me the other day to wish me happy birthday lol
And in true Dad form he says, 84 and not out! He’s rather cheeky at times and always joking about things…
Those memories of chocolate are totally ingrained and even though it probably wasn’t the best thing for a young girl to be eating first thing in the morning, (because of course we ate the chocolate before we went to school!) those little things I will never forget. And despite all the stories created about not feeling loved, those times that are now memories are a gentle reminder, that yes, I was shown love by those who loved me in their own special way and in the best way they knew how.
Rā whānau ki a koe Dad – ka nui tōku aroha ki a koe.
Arohanui,
Jo x
PS – this is probably my favourite rock of the year and how lovely it is for my Dad.