The Return of the Chocolate

It has been more than 9 months since my last post. I honestly thought that the Chocolate of Women had melted away into a forgotten milk chocolate pool. There are many reasons why The Chocolate lay dormant, but there is only one reason why I have decided to resurrect it- I love to read what the voice inside my head is saying as the words are screaming to get out, to make myself heard.

At this moment in my life, I have a strong need to shout for change.

"Change is challenging. We get accustomed to things as they are, but change can bring new opportunities you would never know if things remained the same. Give it a try and stretch beyond your limits...through change your soul will take flight...you will soar!"

The preceding quote was taken from the Facebook status of "I Believe She Is Amazing". I have written about this incredible movement of women in an earlier post. It exemplifies the power of friendship and the lasting effect that the people in our lives can have. This quote appeared a few days ago, and it spoke to me so strongly that I had to copy it and post it on my status as well. Finally, I was given the motivation I needed to write again.

But, why this quote? Why now? I have always believed that change is a necessary part of life. I am not a person who dreads it, but instead I welcome it with open arms. I feel like a caged animal when the circumstances of my life remain stagnant, especially when they seem out of my control. There isn't one area of my life that is left untouched by this need for change- my career, my writing, my family and friends, my home, my desire to learn and do more. I have made a decision recently that is going to change and affect each one of these life circumstances. I am facing the challenge of the change with excitement tinged with fear and a bit of nostalgia. But, I know that I am ready, and I know that I am capable of coping with the good and the bad that comes with any change.

Someone once presented the analogy of a wind chime to me when referring to change in a person's life. She said that I am like the center chime. The movement of the wind is the change in my life. As the wind becomes stronger, each of the chimes begins to sway in reaction. Sometimes the change is welcome and produces a sweet, melodius harmony. However, it can sometimes be considered an intrusion resulting in harsh discord. I can't control the reaction of the chimes around me, but I can control the music that I choose to have in my life.

There are days that I feel as though everyone is telling me what to do, how to think, how to be better, what to choose, and how I should be living my life. The past few weeks have been filled with these 'helpful' suggestions from people that I expect it from, and from others who surprised me with what they were saying and how they were saying it. I'm told that these suggestions are what make me stronger. I guess I will find out. I will face the change, and I will "stretch beyond my limits", on my own or with you. We'll see.