Having One’s Cake and Eating It
This morning I was in the mood for a piece of chocolate cake and so I ordered one from Pick Me Foods. The Cake Factory has maintained its standards and the moist chocolate cake tastes wholesome, buttery and delectable.
I of course whacked this on my own at my seat. I remembered the times my mother used to buy something she enjoyed and was compelled to share it with us as we stared with greedy eyes and eager smiles. Ammi always shared – but I know she would have enjoyed it on her own too.
Similarly living with our extended family in a big house always was a case of battling to get what was in the fridge – people eating on the sly, getting scolded, pretending they did not eat etc. It was funny in hindsight but a pain to live through. I remember my aunt rolling up bits of Battenberg cake and poking it into corners of the fridge hoping no one would find them. Little did she know that I was a sharp eyed greedy gut happily looking for things to eat – constantly. This of course did not end in the best situations but I understand now, as an adult, that eating one’s own piece of cake is vital for moments of bliss and sanity.
And we have a society and a culture that somehow does not encourage the importance of solitude and contentment for oneself. Mothers must sacrifice at all costs much to the detriment of their own sense of self and well being. Living together as vast families is considered healthy when there is no space for personal growth, bonding with partners or maintaining boundaries and discipline.
Today, I was grateful for this piece of cake I could enjoy on my own. Not to be stingy but to understand that there are times when one must fill one’s own cup if one is to pour forth. And this solitude and self indulgence was a pleasant respite in a busy day.
