Carrot Cake Heaven

Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth.

Ecclesiastes 11:9a ESV

Oh, the joy of a moist carrot cake. It whispers to me each Thanksgiving as it exits the oven and sits patiently on the cooling rack. And what does it whisper?

“Once I get plastered with cream cheese icing, I’m all yours. Slice me, dice me, stick me with a fork, but whatever you do, don’t try to cut me into thin slivers. I’m easily insulted by waist-watchers who attempt to impress others with their mini pieces of me. I was destined to be eaten in thick wedges by folk who can appreciate carrots finally done right. And after your fork has scrapped every bit of icing off the plate, and no one is looking, go on and lick the plate clean. Our time together is short, so enjoy me. It will be a long time until next Thanksgiving.”

I have other desserts that beckon to me but none with the drawing power of Karen’s carrot cake. (say that ten times fast) Its cream cheese frosting causes my eyes to roll back in my head and my toes to curl.

Now before I come down from my sugar high, allow me to draw a few parallels from my annual love affair with my wife’s carrot cake. It is important in life to wait until certain situations cool down a bit. Many times, when life’s events are fresh out of the oven, they are too hot to handle. If you stick your folk in too early you will no doubt burn your tongue. How long should a situation be left on a cooling rack? Until you can layer the icing without it melting. You’ll know.

Secondly, enjoy life by cutting big pieces. To carve a thin slice when a baked masterpiece sits before you is a sin. Refuse to limit your enjoyment of people or things because you’re concerned about what others think; how they might view your waistline. When it’s time to dance, dance. When the music starts, sing to the top of your lungs. Laugh until your sides hurt and shout when there is a victory. Cut life in such big pieces it takes a gallon of milk to wash it down.

Lastly, lick the plate clean. Squeeze from every moment all that you can. Take a quiet walk with the one you love. Turn the TV off and go fly a kite with your kid. See the value in asking a million questions about someone else’s life. Take the time to connect with an old friend. And whatever you do, don’t miss out on those closest to you; they are the ones most easily overlooked.

Do you hear the carrot cake whispering? I haven’t yet mustered up the strength to whisper back, but I’m sure I will someday.

Life is made up of simple things and this includes my wife Karen’s yearly offering of carrot cake at Thanksgiving.