A Chocolate, A Smile, and Magic at Sea
This Winter Break, my family and I decided to do something a little different. We boarded a ship from Disney Cruise Line and allowed ourselves to step into a world of color, music, ocean views, and that unmistakable Disney magic.
But beyond the shows, the characters, and the sunsets at sea, something else stayed with me.
There are people on that ship who spend months away from home. Months. They are there to do their job: long shifts, repetitive routines, constant movement. And yet, every single day, they offer you a sincere smile. Warmth. Patience. Joy.
Some people enter your life for a short moment and still manage to make your days brighter. They may simply be doing their work, but the energy they choose to bring makes all the difference. And that is powerful.
As a small business owner, I never travel without Villakuyaya chocolate. When you run a micro–enterprise, every opportunity matters. Beautiful ocean light? Content moment. New setting? Storytelling moment. Inspiring backdrop? Brand moment.
I packed our chocolate thinking about photos, videos, creative ideas.
But something unexpected happened.
In the middle of conversations and small exchanges of kindness, I felt something deeper: gratitude. The kind that doesn’t feel complete with just a “thank you.”
So I began gifting the chocolates I had brought with me. Not as a strategy. Not as marketing. Simply as a gesture.
And in that moment, I was reminded of something I have always believed:
A chocolate can carry emotion.
It can represent appreciation.
It can say, “You made these days better.”
It can say, “I see your effort.”
It can say, “Thank you for your light.”
Words are important. But sometimes they pass quickly.
A thoughtfully given chocolate lingers. It becomes a memory. A taste tied to a moment. A simple yet tangible expression of gratitude.
Watching their reactions — surprised, touched, curious about a handcrafted chocolate from Ecuador in the middle of the ocean, reminded me why Villakuyaya exists.
We are not just crafting chocolate.
We are creating connection.
We are turning cacao into something meaningful.
If a small bar of chocolate can cross the sea and transform a simple “thank you” into a shared memory, then I know we are building something much bigger than a product.
