August 10, 2026
Personal Reflections
Do you ever have food cravings that are so strong that they withstand the test of time? Over the last month, I have been craving See’s Candy Bridge Mix, and that craving truly refused to leave me.
I don’t think it helped that my mom and I watched ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” on the big screen a few days ago...okay, well it did help bring me joy, but it only increased the craving! If you ever get the chance to see this on the big screen, do it!
I made a special trip to my nearest See’s Candies (40 minutes away), and at last got the coveted Bridge Mix (along with my own custom box of chocolate).
As I write this, a memory comes to mind: when I was a kid, my older sister, Faith, had an assignment where she had to memorize a favorite monologue and perform it for her class. Faith chose the "life is like a box of chocolates" monologue from the film Forrest Gump. “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get,” I heard Faith say over and over again.
Forrest and Faith are not wrong, just as life has shown me over the last couple of weeks. I’ve tasted plenty of terrible chocolate-covered fruit truffles in life, but that’s why I’ve found it so important to be intentionally and abundantly grateful for all the milk chocolate caramels or other delectables that come my way.
I think the metaphorical box of chocolates also gives me a greater level of appreciation for when I do get to deliberately choose what I want and enjoy the sweet things of life. Picking every chocolate in my See’s box was therapeutic and gave me a childlike sense of anticipation along with a feeling of control, which life does not always permit us to feel.
I encourage you to count your blessings and hold on to the small joys each day. When you do that, the taste of your favorite flavors can remain on your tongue even when you encounter orange truffles (or whatever flavor you don’t like or want).
Please pray that this particular chocolate, or the flavor it brings, will subside soon:
If you have been following along with my newsletter, you will know that someone I care about has been very unwell. Now that the whole family knows, I feel comfortable sharing that it is my Dad facing many health concerns. He has been in the hospital again for the last few days, which eases my mind because he is getting the care my sister and I do not have the capacity to provide. We invite you to lift him in prayer or send him good vibes, alongside us.
*If you have anything you would like to say to me, my family, or my Dad, please message me directly. We want to avoid discussion of this on public platforms like social media for the sake of his privacy.
This Week in the Arts
With titles still being decided, I will be publishing three pieces in my JOLT Column including:
Review: Harlequin Productions’ Bold Voices Event: ‘Sweat’
Sneak Peek: Rebecca and Alexander Howard Community Engagement presents ‘Cinema in the Park’
A Conversation with Masterworks Chorale Ensemble Artistic Director and Conductor Ben Luedcke
I will be publishing these articles under “Rachel’s Choice”
Actress Teri Lee Thomas discusses Harlequin Production’s ‘Our Town’
To read my articles as they come out, I invite you to subscribe to The JOLT News and follow me on Instagram and Facebook, then invite a friend to do the same! :)
If you read a story that inspires you, I invite you to share it with others and help spread the word about the incredible things happening in the Thurston County Arts Community.
Other Fun Things This Week
14 Questions for My Community: What has been on your mind and/or heart recently? (Remember, I asked people this in 2023).
Getting in ‘The Zone’: “Cavender Is Coming”: Season 3, Episode 37. Watch here in advance.
Enjoy my newsletter? Click here to subscribe.