Coconuts and Mardi Gras

So while attempting to become more healthy, I have been going down aisles in the grocery store that I usually avoid.  I love apples, but am very picky about my apples.  I only eat Braeburn apples because they are extremely crunchy, juicy, and have the right amount of tartness.  While on the search for my favorite apples, I saw coconuts.  Woohoo!  The sight of coconuts bring back such good memories from when I lived in Belize, while on an archaeological dig back in 2003.

Growing up I hated coconut anything.  All those little coconut shavings were disgusting to me and ugh just the sight of German chocolate cakes with all those shavings make me gag!  Needless to say, when one of the locals we had befriended climbed up a tree and got a fresh coconut, I still wasn't convinced that it was anything worth eating.  I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG!!!!

First, he cut a hole and told us to drink the coconut milk, which was decadent.  Then he cracked it open and gave us the meat.  I was amazed at the nuttiness.  I know, I know hence the name cocoNUT.  But in all my life I never thought of it like a nut.  Anyhow, coconuts became my favorite treat while in Belize.  There is no way that those stupid coconut shavings do a real coconut any justice.

Meanwhile, back to the present and the coconut I put in my buggy and brought home.  I was so excited about getting home and showing the kids how to drink the milk and get the meat out of a coconut.  Long story short, it was gross!!!!  I was so disappointed and may have ruined my kids every eating it again.  Perhaps it wasn't fresh or ripe enough.  Whatever the case may be, it was nasty.  I was upset because I felt like I bombed the chance to get the kiddos and hubby on board with becoming healthy.  Ha.  Guess I will have to find something else to satisfy their sweet tooth!

Note to self:  nostalgic memories don't transfer to present day and are hard to be relived!

Enough about coconuts and moving on to Mardi Gras.  Obviously because I am from South Louisiana, I know all to well about the celebration.  However, I wonder if most people that are doing the celebrating and promoting of the holiday have any clue what it is they are celebrating.  I have done the research and it is unnerving.  It will never cease to amaze me how people celebrate things that they know nothing about. 

I find it annoying when people know the truth and try to excuse it.  Well my kids just think it's about candy and beads.  BORING.  Really, people just want an excuse to do what they want to do.  I know this may offend a lot of people.  The intent is for you to google it, go to the library and look up books on the history, talk to someone who does know the origins of Mardi Gras. 

I find it humorous that I have real convictions about most holidays in general and am continually chastized by a lot of people.  Most of those people are "Christians" who sit on pews every Sunday, but don't even know the historical significance of or lack thereof of most holidays.  Most of them couldn't even tell you what their church's belief system is.  So if you are upset right now good, go get the facts and then we will see how you feel.  Just because you go against the "norm" doesn't always mean you are wrong or radical.  Sometimes it just means you choose to not take things for face value and want to know the truth. 

The truth always casts light onto the darkness.