MONSTER ALLEY/FEBRUARY WRITING CHALLENGE PROMPTS
Receiving Delectable Gifts of Dark Chocolate
A time when I got my favorite type of chocolate and the importance of the occasion
I’m going to start by saying I’m not a huge fan of chocolate. I know, what a shocker, right? Who doesn’t love chocolate? Well, I don’t. There are plenty of reasons that I don’t and being diabetic is one of the major deterrents currently. I don’t care much for many sweets and have to ingest more artificial sugar when I need to get my sweet tooth satisfied.
The thing is, I do have a thing for the purest chocolate around. Dark chocolate has a much different quality to me than other chocolates. It must be its natural aphrodisiac qualities. I’m a highly sexual person and dark chocolate can get me in a certain mood. Anything more diluted than dark makes me feel like I’m eating something I shouldn’t be.
The times I’ve usually received dark chocolate as a gift are from my significant others over the years usually included in an assortment, but for those who really know and love me, also by itself. I’ve been with my current partner, Mike, for almost ten years now. Even though we don’t fully buy into commercialized holidays and typically don’t buy each other extravagant gifts on major holidays, we do indulge in little treats every once in a while.
Between our birthdays more than a few years ago (our birthdays are two weeks apart), I still had a relatively stable corporate job and was in much better health than I am now. He came back from the store and had a surprise waiting for me. A bag of fruity dark chocolate candy bags for both of us. One with blueberry and dark chocolate for me. One with cherry and dark chocolate for him. He knows that I love dark chocolate but one thing he also considered is that I’m more of a fruit-type of sweet tooth and the pairing was ideal for my palate.
It was a small gesture. But it was a sweet, loving gesture that I don’t forget easily. We don’t usually shop apart. On the off chance that we do, he finds ways to surprise me and this was one of those moments. The small thought of a treat that I would adore made me feel appreciated and loved and was just a glimpse of the love we share.
I do stuff like this for him as well when I know he likes something and he knows I appreciate these things here and there even if they are infrequent and seldom. These gestures never feel empty or forced. They are done because we are truly mindful of the care and love we should put in to show each other how much we mean to each other.
It may not sound like a lot to some but it goes a long way for both of us. As a not-so-recent example, last year, the battery on my phone was dying for good and Mike scraped up enough of his limited income to find us a deal and get us new and better phones for cheap. The gesture was a gift, even if it was practical, and showed me that he always thinks of the things I’ll need as he anticipated a major need in my life. The dark chocolate may not have been a “need” specifically but it may be just what I needed in the moment and he always seems to know that.
Beyond just dark chocolate, what other gifts do you give to others to show them you truly appreciate them? If it’s not a significant other, maybe it’s a friend, a family member, or some other important person in your life. I’d also love to read about your gifts of dark chocolate and what significance it played in your life as well.
Thanks to The Accidental Monster for bringing life to this February Challenge. I’m looking forward to participating in this month’s daily challenge as a writer and editor in the publication and spreading the word to as many people as I can. Writing challenges are amazing at learning more about fellow writers and genuinely engaging with the community as a whole and I was happy to see this come to life.
