Schoggi: it’s a cuter word in Swiss for “chocolate”.

According to the Urban Dictionary, chocolate is love and makes everything in life better. Now, I must admit taking the Urban Dictionary’s word for something that happens to help support my view feels like a bit of a win-by-referee, but today I will take it.

A Swiss man gave me schoggi in 1984; a gift across time and space that had a butterfly effect on my life. This time of year I reflect upon all of this coming together with me—as an Iowa farm boy—to deliver up millions of happier people on Valentine’s Day years later.

“What?” you say. Yes, schoggi, the culture of chocolate in Switzerland and a gift in thanks for a helpful deed, is an influence on Chocolove. When I received schoggi I felt the thanks intrinsically and I must admit it was the best chocolate I had eaten up until that time. While the taste of great chocolate is understandable, the concept of a good feeling from schoggi becomes obvious to many in the US one day of the year: Valentine’s Day.

The gift of chocolate in the US on Valentine’s Day is an overture and an expression of love. So on the window of love this Valentine’s Day—the day when such overtures are understood or expected and perhaps requited—if you are feeling it, go ahead, schoggi. Give the gift of Chocolove, it could lead to great things.

Happy Valentine’s Day.