Of Cakes And Personal Development

Strange title, eh? Of cakes and personal development. All will be clear in a moment!

Would you agree that there’s nothing more exciting to the senses than passing a bakery and inhaling the fragrance of cakes, breads and other savories as they assault your nostrils? A  few years ago, we wished there was a bakery opposite our apartment complex – and soon that wish was granted. The name of the bakery is aptly “Oven Fresh” and we are regulars there. I mean, how hard is it to crave for a piece of cake and just walk across the road to get it? Not hard at all.  It is a piece of cake!

So here is a quick preview of what was on offer yesterday. The extra charm is how they spell each flavor. Sometimes they write the right spelling and then “correct” it – but hey, I am not there to proof read – I am there to indulge because cocho chips is still choco chips to me!

Of Cakes

What you see below is “mini pizzas” No idea why they’re shaped as squares. But they’re delightfully tasty.

These are curry puffs – crisp with vegetable filling. And quite filling.

The bakery also has a few ready made cakes – lots of people order birthday and other celebration cakes with them in various designs. This bakery chain is quite well known.

Then, recently, Baskin Robbins opened an outlet in our area. So we had to go welcome them and socialize. With the ice creams I mean.

And now, let’s go join Unknown Mami at her place and see what the others are up to!

Of Personal Development

I’ve got to tell you this.

I was catching up on posts in my mailbox and saw a mention of the nominations for the “Top 50 personal development bloggers of 2012” – remember I had requested you to please vote for Elle Sommer?  So I thought I’d go check out what’s happening over there.  When I saw over a thousand comments, I  decided I’d just wait for the email update, which Steven Aitchison is sure to publish.

Then, out of curiosity, I looked at who made it to the nomination list. Imagine my stunned surprise to see my name at no.45, nestled with all those mega personal development bloggers.  Hmm.  It reminded me of last year’s nominations, when someone contacted me for something – and when I asked them how they found me – they said I was in the list of nominees for  2011. Quite amazing, wouldn’t you say? There’s a huge badge for this, but I am not displaying  it here, now.

It is enough for me to see the smiles on the faces of the lives I touch on a daily basis. A squeeze of the hand. A warm hug. A phone call. An email – to let me know I made a difference for the better.

I am grateful to be remembered with love. All I want to do is be kind, giving and loving.  In this context, please may I share one of my most favorite poems? It is by Leigh Hunt – and I learned it in Grade 6 – a crucial year in my life. More about that in another post. For now, here is the poem – it moves me to tears – and please do tell me what you think about it.

Abou Ben Adhem

by James Henry Leigh Hunt

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold:-

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the presence in the room he said,
‘What writest thou?’ – The vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered ‘The names of those who love the Lord.’

‘And is mine one?’ said Abou. ‘Nay, not so,’
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerly still; and said ‘I pray thee then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow-men.’

The angel wrote, and vanish’d. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had bless’d,
And lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest.

That’s all I would ask for. To be remembered with love.

What is one poem that moved you, dear friends? Please share!

Have a great week ahead!