Let Them Eat Cake . . . 2018 Hymn

I made a cake, a perfect, light fluffy, rich, beautiful vanilla sheet cake from my mother-in-laws chocolate sheet cake recipe (that I've de-chocolated) for my family a few nights ago. I set it outside to cool and in fact, if froze and in other fact, I forgot about it until it was far too late to eat. I woke up the next morning looking at that cake thinking, Grrr. The whole point was that it was supposed to be dessert for my family and guests . . . it was supposed to make us all happy and my nephew and his girlfriend and my sister to all feel special and loved and all the good things special desserts make us feel. Only, I forgot about it. And none of that happened. It was morning. The cake was not even frosted and I had a meeting to go to and my nephew was leaving soon. It was breakfast time.

And so what did I do?

I frosted that baby. Took it to my morning meeting and cut it into wide pieces and served it, instead of the granola and yogurt and unsugared fruit I was planning on bringing . . . because really, some days, you just really need cake for breakfast.

And my nephew, when I came back? He ate it for lunch (and then some). And when my husband came home (before dinner) well, he ate a third of it himself as he helped the kids finish the Thursday night cleaning. And me? I ate it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and for breakfast (and lunch) today. And I have had two wonderful days.

Yes, yes, I know if you always have cake, you will be sick. But some days, some times in our lives, things are HARD and LONG and DRAINING and we don't really give ourselves a break. We push and push and push and feel all sorts of guilt. We look at cake and think . . . I just really couldn't. It's not time for it . . . and we continue to just be so hard on ourselves. When really, why not just slice up a piece of that beautiful cake, enjoy every delectable bite and then feel all that wonderful rush of energy and endorphins (because lets be honest, sugar gives us wonderful zings) propel us onward? Why? Why don't we?

Well, I did.

And it turns out I have not gained a pound. Not a one. In fact, I've felt wonderful. I have felt like I've been given a gift. A little reminder that when life gives you cake, just stop and eat it. Really, stop and eat it. It will be gone. A memory. So make the most of it.

When I was making out my new years resolutions (and feeling quite happy about it), I felt motivated and a little daunted. I'm pretty sure I'll get to at least three of them. But the rest . . . well, they're things I think I should be doing or reading or listening to or watching. And I should, don't get me wrong. But after I looked over my list, I thought . . . these are all well and good . . . but where's the dreams? Where's the fun? Where's the crazy one and a million chance it will happen but still you dream it?

It wasn't there.

So what did I do? I flipped over that page and began to write down my dreams . . .

Most.

Fun.

I've.

Had.

In.

YEARS!!!

Honestly, I laughed out loud like six times at the audacity of my dreams. And then . . . I read them and thought . . . you know what? Some of these . . . some of these . . . have a chance of coming true. If I save, if I organize, if I work hard . . . I can get these dreams. I can make them happen.

And guess what? I felt inspired. Seriously inspired to work harder, to scrimp and save and talk to my children and get them on board and get us all excited about something big. . . something that seems out of reach . . . and may be . . .but we have a chance. A chance. Why not take it?

Isn't that what life is about? Really. Dreaming big and then taking chances? I mean, you'll probably fail a lot. And you might not reach goals, but seriously, you'll never reach them EVER if you don't try right?

So . . . lets make 2018 the year we eat way more cake and dream big and have courage to chase after them.

Deal?

Deal.

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