A random thought

Back when I was young, we had this fashion of exchanging slam books. Slam books were these diaries akin to autograph books that we'd pass around to our friends and colleagues hoping to get to know them better. On each page was a list of questions they had to answer, questions about their favorite drink, food they like, first crush, their thoughts on friendship, love, life etc.
With the advent of cell phones, Ipads, and other advances in technology, the poor old fashioned slam book silently disappeared.

Today, while I was flipping though this repository of memories, I ran across a message by an old friend. We were probably in the fifth grade then. Life was all about doll houses and ice creams. In her best handwriting, she had written "Life is an ice cream. Enjoy it before it melts."

As I read that message, a smile spread across my lips. My skeptic mind, however, could not rest in peace. The VIMH (Voice In My Head) started off on a tirade of counter questions.

VIMH: "Life is an ice cream, eh? So do you get to choose your favorite flavor?" *smirk*

Me: Well, maybe not. But it's still ice cream.

VIMH: "What's the point then? Why would you care if it's not your favorite?"

Me: *getting all defensive now* "Because we don't always get what we like. But it's not something we hate either. We might as well enjoy it."

VIMH: "Really? Would you be able to enjoy it with the constant pressure of having to finish it before it melts? How would you appreciate life if you are in a constant hurry to get somewhere?"

I gulped. The VIMH made sense. In life, we had to stop and smell the fragrant roses, watch the magnificent sunset. Of what use would reaching the destination be, if we did not appreciate anything along the way?

Me: *still trying to support my point* "We cannot slow down too much, you know. It would not qualify as a life well lived. There is so much to do, so little time."

VIMH: "You remind me of the hare with the ticking watch in 'Alice in Wonderland'. How far did he get anyway?" *snigger*

Me: "What do you mean?"

VIMH: Who is the hero of story? Who met with the most adventure?

Me: Err...Alice?

VIMH: Exactly! Alice, who wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere. Alice, who chased her dreams down that rabbit hole. She didn't worry about the melting ice cream. She enjoyed it while it lasted.

I slammed the slam book shut. The VIMH had won yet again. Life was not an ice cream. I'd rather compare it to a bar of chocolate---we get to choose the way we want to indulge. We can hurriedly chomp on it and finish it off in a few seconds, or we can savor the taste by nibbling on it enjoying the deluge of sweetness in our mouth, the richness of resins, the crunch of nuts. We can distractedly gulp it down without appreciating its quality, or we can feel it melt little by little with every lick, bite, and twirl of tongue, locking down the memory of the moment for posterity. 

Life, like a bar of chocolate, is made up of tonnes of sweet moments to cherish and save as memories forever.