A few days ago, one of my FB friends posted a question: "Are you the type to eat a delicious meal slowly, savoring every bite, or do you gobble it up quickly?" My answer was (or rather, the explanation for my answer) way too long to post on FB so I thought I'd post my answer here.
Homemade brand ice cream used to make a flavor called Dark Raspberry Chip. The first time I tasted this ice cream, I stood frozen in wonder and amazement. After a few seconds had passed and I was able to breathe again, I sat down to recover my senses. This ice cream was more delicious than anything I'd ever put in my mouth with the intention of sending it down to my stomach! I entered into a love affair with this ice cream in which it became my reward for every good deed, my consolation prize for every bad day.
It came to pass, after a year or so, that I had trouble finding this flavor. I went from store to store with no luck. I found out, from questioning the person in charge of ordering at Scott's, that Homemade had discontinued this flavor. It was like learning of the death of a dear, dear friend! I took to my bed for several days.... (o.k. that's a slight exaggeration. but I FELT like it!)
Imagine my joy when, a few days later, I found some Dark Raspberry Chip ice cream at Meijer's!! They had two half gallons left. I put them in my cart and pushed myself over to the frozen foods service area where I asked if they had any more in the back. They did! I told them I'd take everything they had. They brought out four plastic wrapped packages containing five half-gallons each. I abandoned the rest of my grocery shopping for the day so I could rush home and put my twenty-two half gallons of ice cream in the freezer.
At that time, we were living in a studio apartment above my parents' garage. We had a stand-up freezer in the garage. I emptied it out to make room for my ice cream and lovingly placed them all inside. Within minutes, my torment began.
I now had twenty-two half gallons of ice cream, which seemed like a lot. But I knew that once it was gone, it would be gone forever! I had to be careful how I allowed myself to enjoy it. I didn't want to gobble it all down and be left with nothing! Over the next few weeks, I thought longingly about that ice cream almost constantly, never allowing myself to have so much as a bowl.
Finally, one day, after over a month of denial, I decided I would allow myself a bowl. I made this decision in the early morning and determined I would have a bowl of ice cream at the end of the day, after I had bathed and put on my pajamas. I spent the whole day in a state of woozy ecstasy as I anticipated the pleasure of the evening.
The day crawled by, dinner was served and then cleaned up, the kids were put to bed, my bath was taken, my pajamas were on, and I went down to the garage to retrieve my ice cream. With my hand on the freezer door, I noticed a puddle of water pooling out from under the freezer. When I opened the door, a purple river littered with chips of black dripped onto my feet. I threw back my head and howled like a wounded animal.
My dad and husband came running to see what was the matter. They found me there in a red rage, almost delirious with grief. What had happened??? My poor dad looked mortified as it dawned on him that he had forgotten to plug the freezer back in after using the outlet a couple of days earlier for a power tool. He apologized profusely. I tried to forgive him. It was hard....
That night I lay in bed and reflected over the last month. All of those times I had denied myself the pleasure of a bowl of ice cream. I should have had them all! I had delayed joy and now I had nothing. NOTHING! And I realized that life presents us with opportunities that we must seize and take advantage of immediately without feeling guilty. Do not delay! Seize the day!
I daily remind myself of this as I live the rest of my life. I'm still the type that likes to save dessert for last or read a good book slowly, but I no longer postpone joy indefinitely.
And, this story has a happy ending because Homemade is making Dark Raspberry Chip ice cream again. I should have known that there would be a public outcry the likes of which had probably never been seen before. It took a couple of years, but it's back on the market!!
Homemade brand ice cream used to make a flavor called Dark Raspberry Chip. The first time I tasted this ice cream, I stood frozen in wonder and amazement. After a few seconds had passed and I was able to breathe again, I sat down to recover my senses. This ice cream was more delicious than anything I'd ever put in my mouth with the intention of sending it down to my stomach! I entered into a love affair with this ice cream in which it became my reward for every good deed, my consolation prize for every bad day.
It came to pass, after a year or so, that I had trouble finding this flavor. I went from store to store with no luck. I found out, from questioning the person in charge of ordering at Scott's, that Homemade had discontinued this flavor. It was like learning of the death of a dear, dear friend! I took to my bed for several days.... (o.k. that's a slight exaggeration. but I FELT like it!)
Imagine my joy when, a few days later, I found some Dark Raspberry Chip ice cream at Meijer's!! They had two half gallons left. I put them in my cart and pushed myself over to the frozen foods service area where I asked if they had any more in the back. They did! I told them I'd take everything they had. They brought out four plastic wrapped packages containing five half-gallons each. I abandoned the rest of my grocery shopping for the day so I could rush home and put my twenty-two half gallons of ice cream in the freezer.
At that time, we were living in a studio apartment above my parents' garage. We had a stand-up freezer in the garage. I emptied it out to make room for my ice cream and lovingly placed them all inside. Within minutes, my torment began.
I now had twenty-two half gallons of ice cream, which seemed like a lot. But I knew that once it was gone, it would be gone forever! I had to be careful how I allowed myself to enjoy it. I didn't want to gobble it all down and be left with nothing! Over the next few weeks, I thought longingly about that ice cream almost constantly, never allowing myself to have so much as a bowl.
Finally, one day, after over a month of denial, I decided I would allow myself a bowl. I made this decision in the early morning and determined I would have a bowl of ice cream at the end of the day, after I had bathed and put on my pajamas. I spent the whole day in a state of woozy ecstasy as I anticipated the pleasure of the evening.
The day crawled by, dinner was served and then cleaned up, the kids were put to bed, my bath was taken, my pajamas were on, and I went down to the garage to retrieve my ice cream. With my hand on the freezer door, I noticed a puddle of water pooling out from under the freezer. When I opened the door, a purple river littered with chips of black dripped onto my feet. I threw back my head and howled like a wounded animal.
My dad and husband came running to see what was the matter. They found me there in a red rage, almost delirious with grief. What had happened??? My poor dad looked mortified as it dawned on him that he had forgotten to plug the freezer back in after using the outlet a couple of days earlier for a power tool. He apologized profusely. I tried to forgive him. It was hard....
That night I lay in bed and reflected over the last month. All of those times I had denied myself the pleasure of a bowl of ice cream. I should have had them all! I had delayed joy and now I had nothing. NOTHING! And I realized that life presents us with opportunities that we must seize and take advantage of immediately without feeling guilty. Do not delay! Seize the day!
I daily remind myself of this as I live the rest of my life. I'm still the type that likes to save dessert for last or read a good book slowly, but I no longer postpone joy indefinitely.
And, this story has a happy ending because Homemade is making Dark Raspberry Chip ice cream again. I should have known that there would be a public outcry the likes of which had probably never been seen before. It took a couple of years, but it's back on the market!!
