Wisdom Gained From Eating Dark Chocolate by Debra H. Goldstein

The combination
of staying indoors (which I don’t really mind) and being frustrated by my work
in progress (which I do mind) has forced me to take drastic steps:  I opened a bag of Dove dark chocolate pieces
with almonds. Delicious and the fun thing is the wrapper on each piece has a
message.

Because I had nothing
better to do (remember, I’m frustrated with my work in progress — and by now,
I’d just thrown out seventy pages and was debating whether to change whodunit),
I decided to let the messages guide me through the day. First, I thought it might
be a fun experiment for the blog and second, it might give spur my writing in a
new direction or at least give me the fodder for a blog.

The first message
was simple: “Every moment matters including this one!”  Okay, it was time to stop playing solitaire
and get to work.

I tried, but words
and ideas weren’t coming to me with the ease I remembered from the past. It was
time for more chocolate and another message: “Keep life moving forward,
looking backward is only for time travelers.”  Well, that was a kick in the … that I needed.
Instead of struggling with my novel, I decided to write my April blogs. Surprising
the words flowed out of me.

When I went for
my third and final piece of chocolate for the day, I was feeling pretty good,
but I knew there was more that I could do. The third message confirmed my inner
thought: “Don’t stop until you’re proud.”

I give you my
word, I won’t.