Confessions of a Chocoholic

When I was seven years old I saw the movie The Sound of Music. I dreamed of traveling to Switzerland, singing with Julie Andrews and the vonTrapp kids in the fields of wildflowers surrounded by snow-covered mountaintops. I wanted to see the Matterhorn, ride a funicular on the steep train tracks up the side of a mountain and eat chocolate. Wait—did I mention that I wanted to eat chocolate? And lots of it!

My first trip to Europe was to Austria and Germany. I visited St. Peter’s Graveyard in Salzburg, which was the model for the cemetery in the Sound of Music. However, I still dreamed of the Swiss Alps.

The next year my friend, Kathy, invited me to go skiing in Switzerland but I told her that I was not able to go. Three days before she was to leave on her trip, the Today show was doing a feature called Where in the World is Matt Lauer—he was in Switzerland. I emailed Kathy and told her to watch it when she woke up.

She emailed back, “Come with me, come with me.” Again, I told her I couldn’t go. Kathy pleaded with me because her friend was not able to make the trip. Although a frequent flyer ticket at that late date seemed impossible, I told her I would try. To our surprise, I was on the plane three days later travelling to a place I had dreamed of for so long!

After 15 hours of travel, we stepped off of the train in Interlaken, Switzerland. Our first stop was the grocery store. I was in chocolate heaven. The aisles went as far as I could see with three levels of different kinds of chocolate candy. Kathy suggested the 10-pound bag. I said that was too much, but she reasoned that we could give it as gifts to people when we returned home.

Ten days later, as we are packing our suitcases, Kathy said we needed to buy chocolate to give as gifts. I said, “No, remember we bought plenty.” She replied, “Someone ate it!” And that was how our chocoholism was self-diagnosed.

Obviously, sweets and chocolate were an important part of my life. Unfortunately, my father had age onset diabetes. It is hereditary, which means I’m also susceptible.

Today’s gift was a donation to the American Diabetes Association that has a matching gift program until August 15^th. When they find a cure, people like me will be able to enjoy their chocoholic binges without worrying about diabetes.

In Giving,

Robin