If you read my post from last week, you may have noticed the mention of “cookie dough ice cream.” Cookie dough ice cream has a special place in my heart. In fact, it is an important part of how I came to be on this journey of DISCOVERy and self-LOVE. Sounds kinda crazy but stay with me here.
In the summer of 2015, I met Juan, who is now my partner in business but more importantly my partner in life. One evening that summer, I decided that I wanted a cookie dough Blizzard from Dairy Queen. So, we went to our local Dairy Queen in Atlantic Beach, NC.
When we got there, they were out of cookie dough! How could that be? At first, I was really disappointed that I would not be able to indulge in my favorite sweet treat.
But, the young man working the counter saw my disappointment and said, “If you come back in about an hour, we can go to the Dairy Queen in Morehead City and get some from them.” Really? That was so sweet for him to suggest such a thing. So, we went away with me feeling a little bummed that I had to wait.
Next, we had to decide what to do for the next hour. Traffic on our little coastal island can be brutal in the summertime, so we didn’t want to get back in the car. We decided to go across the street to the beach.
Just across the street is a hotel. The hotel has a pier jutting out into the ocean, so we decided to take a walk on the pier. It was a perfect evening! There was a light breeze which felt so refreshing amid the waning heat of the day. The sun was getting ready to set and there we were just in time to see the beautiful array of colors as the sun went down at the end of the shoreline. We saw families fishing together, children running happily up and down the pier, and fishermen (and women) casting their lines hoping for a bite.
After an hour had passed, we went back to the Dairy Queen and sure enough, they had the cookie dough! As I sat there eating my delicious treat, Juan and I talked about how fortunate we were to have enjoyed such a lovely time on the pier. We realized that if the DQ hadn’t been out of cookie dough, we would have missed that beautiful sunset.
And now, any time something doesn’t go the way we expect it to, we try to find the cookie dough in the situation. What did we get instead? That simple little lesson taught us that it’s all about perception and how we choose to respond to situations that are out of our control.
I learned that I always have a CHOICE. I could have easily complained and made a fuss over the Dairy Queen not having cookie dough. But that would not have changed the fact that there was no cookie dough.
This was the first of many lessons I have had to embrace in order to reach a point in my life where I am filled with more peace, more joy, and more happiness. Now, instead of being frustrated or disappointed, I know I can always look for the cookie dough and I am grateful.
The next time things don’t go the way you planned, try to find some cookie dough instead!
With Love & Gratitude,
