Don’t blame the chocolate
Dear Friend,
Last Tuesday, I broke out in hives. Grotesquely shaped bumps splattered my body, itching relentlessly, driving me insane.
I blame the outbreak on the chocolate I ate at work that day. Our principal shared a basket of fruits and chocolate easter eggs wrapped in pink and blue foil. I couldn’t resist.
Most eggs were hollow; some had mini marshmallows in the center. When I saw the basket of treats welcoming me into the office, I grabbed an egg and peeled the foil as if I were Charlie Bucket searching for a golden ticket.
I’m not allergic to chocolate, but I am allergic to some nuts: cashews, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and pine nuts. After devouring the first egg, which appeared to be nut-free, my throat swelled and felt itchy.
On a scale of one to ten, my discomfort level was a three. I thought perhaps the chocolate was processed on machinery that handled cashews and that I would be okay.
And I was okay until the end of the workday when I foolishly ate another egg.
Then the invasion began. The welts started popping up two hours later like a sinister round of whack-a-mole. They appeared and disappeared, replacing themselves with more giant, itchier creatures.
The next day, I found myself sitting in the doctor’s office, scratching myself like a drug addict. He glanced at my hives the way a chef checks boiling water before he sat at his computer and began typing my prescription.
“Let’s see,” he said, “I’ll give you some steroids to reduce the rash. Oh, and some Pepcide to ease the inflammation. Let’s get you some Benedryl and an anti-itch mouthwash.”
I felt intoxicated listening to him.
Although I wanted the hives to go away, I wanted to know what triggered them. I used the chocolate as a scapegoat. But there’s a spiritual lesson behind physical distress.
I believe I allowed minor irritations to consume me at work. Instead of speaking my truth and taking appropriate action, I obsessed over details I couldn’t control. Eventually, my obsession took control of my body.
When we ignore messages and guideposts, the universe knows how to get our attention. I encourage you to keep in mind what is happening within you.
And for heaven’s sake, don’t blame the chocolate. 😉
Love and Light,
Ebony
For more letters, essays, and articles, visit my blog. Also, follow me on Facebook.
