Give Us Cake

Growing up, my parents were always very diligent at making sure we ate things that were good for us. We had our mixed vegis with every meal, with the option to take one outcast vegetable from the group... Jess took out lima beans, I took out the peas if at all possible...which was not necessarily smart because I was a champion pea swallower but the lima beans went down a little harder (the runner up for disgusting vegi prize). Eh, you live, you learn.

In the mornings, the emphasis was on having breakfast food-as would be expected. We had our oatmeal, our cream of wheat, our pancakes and waffles, our toast, bacon and eggs, our cereal (but NEVER only sweet cereal -it was ALWAYS mixed with Rice Krispies or Kix or Chex). But on occasion my parents would wake up and see that someone had sniffed out the chocolate cake left from dessert the night before... YAY! Cake for breakfast!! And we sang songs like Bill Cosby's hit "Dad is Great...he gives us chocolate cake!" Those were special magical days.

Upon moving out there was a delicious freedom that floated in the air. The freedom to decide what's for breakfast (and not have to answer for the decision). This morning I was going through my options when my glance happened upon the box of Entenmann's Softy Donuts. Oh the glee! The delight! The scrumptious happiness that I can have DONUTS for breakfast!! So I departed to the couch, eating my donuts, drinking my coffee, quietly reading my text , subconsciously listening to Jess' morning commentary-when a shriek comes from the kitchen. "Hmm what should I have for....OH!! CAN I HAVE A DONUT!?!" Jess had discovered, with audible joy, the treasure I was silently partaking in. "Of course you can!" I guess the need to ask permission for sweets in the morning is something ingrained in us. You've taught us well my parents. But the blessedness of sugary confections to start the day is still as poignant as it was growing up.

Nevertheless, I think as you get older your desire for sweet things lessens and you crave more of the healthy things. So while a donut this morning was a treat, I still prefer eggs & beans on toast.