In many ways, that can be a good thing. I hold my values dear, and don't give allow them to be violated. I have strong personal boundaries and I don't hesitate to stand up for what I believe in. When I make a decision, I stick to it, no matter what. Now if you are meeting me for lunch, you can be 100% sure that I will arrive, pretty much on time. I may be violently ill, dragging 5 kids, and passed on an opportunity I waited 6 months for, but I will be there - and the funny thing is, I will enjoy the lunch! (Ok, so I've also probably never met a lunch I didn't like!)
So you are wondering what this has to do with ice cream, right? Well ice cream should be served in a cup. I decided that at a young age. So young that I don't remember when or why. I just know that I always chose a cup. And if cups weren't available, I ate the ice cream and threw away the cone. I never even tasted one. And I never considered doing so. There was no need. I had made a decision: cups. And I stuck to it. I never lamented my lack of cone eating, or wondered if I would like the cone. I simply did not consider a deviation from my decision.
This week I took my daughters out for ice cream. My 4 year-old ordered first and selected a bubble gum ice cream in a cone with sprinkles. It looked tasty. My 3 year-old then asked the employee if the cones contained dairy. After learning that the chocolate dip did, but the cones did not, she selected dairy-free raspberry sherbert in a cone with sprinkles on top.
At this point, I still have no idea what came over me. I ordered chocolate ice cream with cookie dough mixed in a chocolate-dipped cone with sprinkles. Now I'm sure to most people, that's not a big deal, but for me . . . . well, it's a first in a lifetime decision.
I sat at the table with my little girls happily eating, with me making the biggest mess of all. I had no idea what to do with the drippy thing. It kept crumbling onto the table, my face, and my pants. I have no idea how people eat these without making a mess. More practice, perhaps?
My 4 year-old held her cone up giggling that, "we match!" We said, "Cheers" and tapped our cones together. Such delight from such a simple thing. I felt delighted too. Trying something new turned out to be fun (and delicious) and opened up a way to share joy with my daughters.
Maybe I'll try more new things . . . . .
