Aug. 21, 2020

I BELIEVE IN "MAKING-UP" FOR LOST TIME.

 FOR TOO-MANY YEARS, I WAS FORCED TO AVOID CHOCOLATE.   IN THE FIFTIES, MEDICAL EXPERTS ISSUED STERN WARNINGS THAT CHOCOLATE CAUSED ACNE.

FROM CHILDHOOD... MY SENSITIVE SKIN ENDURED OUTBREAKS OF HIVES. AS I ENTERED MY TEENS, I SUFFERED PIMPLES THAT SOON BECAME....ACNE. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE I BECAME BEST FRIENDS WITH THE BEST DERMATOLOGISTS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH.

I KNOW, FROM EXPERIENCE, THAT NOTHING CAUSES TEENAGERS MORE SENSITIVITY, EMBARRASSMENT, SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS, AND DEPRESSION THAN INFLAMED BUMPS ON HIS/HER FACE.

MY FACE ENDURED CORTISONE SHOTS, PAINFUL DRY ICE TREATMENTS, ICE PICK-LIKE PUNCTURES, ANTIBIOTICS, VARIOUS TOPICAL CREMES/ OINTMENTS, AND A VERY-STRICT DIET. AFTER EXPERIENCING SO MANY MEDICAL TECHNIQUES---SOME THAT WORKED AND MANY THAT DIDN'T---I COULDN'T HELP BUT FEEL LIKE A GUINEA PIG!

IN MY EARY TWENTIES, MY FATHER PAID FOR ME TO HAVE DERMABRASION IN NEW ORLEANS....BY THE VERY DOCTOR WHO 'WROTE THE BOOK' ON DERMABRASION.

BUT... IT WAS ONLY AFTER I BEGAN RUNNING AND SWEATING AT THE AGE OF 28 YEARS... THE MIRACLE HAPPENED.  ALMOST OVERNIGHT--- MY ONGOING SKIN PROBLEMS BEGAN TO DISAPPEAR.

NOW....AS AN ADULT WHO NO LONGER WAKES UP WITH TEENAGE SKIN....I'M MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME BY ENJOYING CHOCOLATE.  TOMORROW.... SOME 'EXPERT' MAY ANNOUNCE THAT CHOCOLATE CAUSES WRINKLES, SAGS, AND BAGS....BUT, FOR NOW, I'LL JUST KEEP EATING MY PASSION:  CHOCOLATE.

I BEGIN EACH MORNING WITH CARNATION (CHOCOLATE) INSTANT BREAKFAST IN MILK AND ALSO EAT ONE NATURE VALLEY DARK CHOCOLATE-ALMOND-PEANUT GRANOLA BAR. NO, I DON'T GET A KICK-BACK FOR PLUGGING--- MY FAVORITE BREAKFAST CHOICES!

IF YOU MUST KNOW--- I JUSTIFY MY EATING PREFERENCES BY WALKING AND EXERCISING EVERY DAY. I MEAN EVERY MORNING..REGARDLESS..... IF ITS HOT OR COLD, RAINING, SNOWING, WINDY----WHATEVER....I'M UP AND OUT THE DOOR!

NOTHING....NOT EVEN A COLD(SOMETHING I HAVEN'T HAD IN YEARS),  CAN STOP ME FROM GOING OUTSIDE...FROM MOVING MY ARMS AND LEGS, MY BODY, IN UNISON... AT A VERY-FAST PACE...FOR MORE THAN TWO OR THREE MILES.

IF YOU DOUBT ME...JUST ASK MY BIG-DOG-CUBBY-DOG. HE'S BESIDE ME...EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

STAY CLOSE,
SALLY