The Sweets My Parents Never Let Me Have

I stand in my parents’ kitchen, staring at the mountain of candy and cookies. Raspberry hard candy, cheddar nuggets, brittle, jelly beans. I remember being a kid and how sugar was rationed, how dessert was a reward, not a habit. Now, at 89, my mom eats whatever she wants. Sometimes I envy her. Sometimes I judge her. Sometimes I wish I could let myself off the hook the way she does—no counting, no guilt, just eating because it tastes good and she’s still here. The bananas are mine. I tell myself it’s about health, but really, it’s about control. I wonder if I’ll ever stop keeping score. #FoodGuilt #ControlIsExhausting #NotJustAboutTheScale #Health #Diet