DAY 216 -- The Candy Drawer

In my dad's pickup, there was a special drawer.  Some people might call it an "ashtray" but my dad called it his "candy drawer," and used it to hold assorted candies.  I'm not sure, financially, how he could afford to keep it stocked since all of us kids, and all of our friends, raided it whenever we had a chance.

In later years, dad bought mom a china cabinet.  It didn't take long for one of the drawers to become the "candy drawer" where he stashed miniature chocolate bars, and leftover holiday candies.  Of course, all of the grandkids knew about the special drawer and looked forward to the treasures it contained.

I inherited the china cabinet during my "sugar daze" and promised the grandchildren (my nieces and nephews) that I would continue the tradition with the candy drawer and keep it stocked so that any time they visited me, they could find a treat.  

A year after inheriting the cabinet, I gave up sweets.  I tried to keep candy in there, but it turned bad after a while.  Chocolate bars turned white, lollipops turned sticky.  If I knew company was coming, I quickly placed fresh candy in the drawer, but unexpected company usually found mints.  

Now I have my own grandchildren, and when they arrive at our house, they beeline for the candy drawer. They are too young to understand there should be "candy" in there, thankfully, so they are not disappointed when they find little boxes of raisins, or 100% fruit leather.  However, I'm still a grandma with a soft spot and I rotate other treats in there too, like individually packaged animal crackers, teddy grahams, and Lorna Doone cookies.  

Sometimes I feel guilty, like I'm living a double standard.  I don't eat sugar, but I give it to the grandkids, and I wonder if I'm feeding future sugar addicts.  

But a promise is a promise and I feel bound to keep it.  As long as I am living, the drawer my dad used for stashing chocolate bars will remain dedicated for treats, and when the china cabinet passes to the next generation, it will come with instructions to continue the tradition and history of the "candy drawer."