I went to Fairbanks, Alaska to have a mini-family reunion. For the big celebration at the lake on the Fourth of July, I made a cake. I had planned for it to have the red streaks in it, using Jello and then decorating the top like a flag.
However, as plans can go, this one didn't work out. Through a few mishaps, I ended up with a squishy pink cake. With no time for a redo, it was quite upsetting, as this was for a group of 24 people. I slathered on the cream cheese frosting and prepared my fruit flag anyway. Wanna know why? My sister-in-law's no-bake cookies didn't set up, due to a few mishaps. SORRY AMIE, but it made me feel better.
I'm not sure why we take comfort when someone else is in our boat. But we do. Like seeing the skinny girl at your class reunion that gained weight too....sad bunch of humans, huh? But, really, it's just out of our need to feel normal.
Weight Watchers meetings help me in this area tremendously. It doesn't matter if my cake is squishy. Someone else there has made that same cake (maybe not THAT cake, but something like it). I'm not the only one who has food issues, who struggles with Fat Days or who just really wants to earn a Bravo sticker. I'm normal there - if no where else.
One WW meeting, I planned on skipping because I'd gone on vacation and gained 5 pounds. I went anyway, though, and faced the facts. During that meeting, a memeber shared how she had gone on vacation and gained 5 pounds the week before, but it was all gone as soon as she spent a week back on the program.
It's not just that we like other people to suffer. We like to see them win too. Because if THEY can win, WE can win. Success breeds success. Cheering someone else on will most certainly encourage you. We clap a lot for each others' successes at Weight Watchers and I will, occassionally, Woo-Hoo. It's good to do - to Woo-Hoo. You should too - you should Woo-Hoo. To a friend, a spouse, a shoe. Everyone likes a Woo-Hoo.
Just in case you were wondering, not many people ate my cake and the leftovers got really squished on the ride home. BUT, I have an amazing picture of my flag art that my son was most proud of and that made it all better.
3 comments:
Hi April! I can relate! In addition to having similar experiences with dishes I've made to be served at meaningful events, I am (as I'm sure many of us at WW are) in many ways just like your cake - outwardly very put together but very squishy inside - insecure, scared, wanting to be liked. It's taken me a while to be able to show others my squishy inside - WW has helped me so much in that regard...YOU have helped me so much in that regard! Watching people I admire be vulnerable...hearing their stories...listening to them express their own insecurities...has enabled me to voice my own. It has also helped me realize that I am delicious - inside and out - regardless of my squishy inside! I am sure your cake was just as delicious. Those who judged it on its squishiness simply missed out on how good it really was.
Keep your stories coming! Your readers "demand" it! See you Saturday!
P.S. I LOVE the totes! They will figure prominently on my Xmas list this year.
Lisa,
You're right about the WW meetings. It's amazing what a group of vulnerable people can do for each other. Thank you for everything YOU'VE shared. You are a success story!
And, I ate a lot of my cake. Probably too much. I'm considering making it again. :)
A big Woo hoo to you April. You deserve it. Cheryl from Sat. WW meetings
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