I’ll admit, when I was twelve, I once cried over finding out there was no more of the leftover cookie dough I saved in the fridge. Maybe it was a menstrual symptom of feeling extra emotional at the time or maybe I just loved to eat raw cookie dough that much. Who knows? (Alright, alright, I get it. I can see you pointing your fingers and lecturing me about salmonella poisoning.)

Anyway, when I opened the refrigerator door in hopes of finding a halfway twisted blue package of raw chocolate chip cookie dough, I only found an empty space of chilled air. The white metal bars in the fridge were laughing at me. The Pillsbury dough boy was nowhere to be found. There was no smile and his absence was too sudden for me to imagine his little giggle.

What happened? Who ate it? How could they not know I was going to eat the rest? Everyone in the house saw me eating some the day before. I mean, I think they did.

To this day I still don’t know for sure who ate the leftover sweetness I longed for. (It was most likely my brother.) I didn’t even bother asking though, because it didn’t matter. The fact was the guilty-pleasure snack I waited for and thought about nibbling on after a long school day was gone.

So what did I do? Of course I got annoyed and ended in disappointment, but I eventually forgot about it the same day and moved onto the next interesting thing that was on a twelve year old’s mind in 2008. I downloaded more songs onto my iPod and reminded myself to buy some more cookie dough the next day. A few hours later, I didn’t want the cookie dough anymore. I was now craving for a smoothie, so I ended up making one. It was healthier, delicious and didn't upset my stomach.

When it comes to your version of cookie dough–a best friendship, the class you’ve been waiting to get into, your favorite pair of jeans, the special plans you made with people, the last slice of pizza or your favorite restaurant–whatever it may be, ephemeral aspects in your life will come your way and what are you gonna do about it? Cry and pout? No! A little, maybe; but it’s best you accept what happened and go onto the next new thing. Improve something if you must. That old cookie dough probably wasn’t the best for your health anyway.

Live in the present, enjoy it and look forward to a better future. There are so many more greater things than one type of dessert. Try a crunchy apple or some juicy berries. Don’t waste your time over cookie dough that you don’t have anymore. Besides, you’re better than that.