Last Saturday, 21 March 2020, was my 17th (civil) wedding anniversary. I didn’t forget it––never again since my 15th wedding anniversary––and as always, my dutiful husband didn’t fail to greet me either. Because I like having a cake during celebrations, by mid-morning, I started looking up bakeshops and restaurants that could deliver one. Unfortunately, there was none due to the enhanced community quarantine we’re in now, brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. I decided to bake one in the afternoon then.

However, while making spaghetti bolognese for lunch, things started to take a turn. Our Siberian husky Hashy began howling and seemed to be in pain as she struggled to get up but unable to do so. What was supposed to be a fun and relaxing day despite having to bake my own cake, turned into a tense and busy day, as we try to take care of Hashy and worked double time cleaning the yard and disinfecting dog kennels. By five in the afternoon, I was already so exhausted that I simply couldn’t prepare another meal, much less bake a cake, that we had to eat leftovers for dinner.

I don’t really mind eating leftovers for dinner––we do that almost every day––even on my wedding anniversary. But I really felt like crying because, without a cake, it didn’t feel like we were celebrating an important occasion. Worse, with Hashy sick, I couldn’t sleep. And, since her kennel is near my bedroom, I found myself constantly straining to hear her movements, and all I could think of was how much easier it would be for me if I could just have at least a slice of moist dark chocolate cake… Yes, by this time, I was already craving for a specific cake.

I kept asking myself how I could be thinking of eating cake in this situation. I wondered if I would last if we were in a middle of a war and I never get to eat another slice of cake, or where this whole idea of having a cake whenever there’s a birthday, anniversary, or any type of celebration we’re having is a must… Or, maybe I’m just using it to compensate for the distance between my husband and me––being in a long-distance relationship can be tough, after all!

One thing’s for sure though, I’d feel a lot better and probably even invincible in this trying moment if I could have my cake. On the other hand, I’ve also realized that by not having a cake when I was craving for it the most, I’m becoming better at practicing delayed gratification and that is way more gratifying. ❤

P. S. Hashy got admitted to the animal hospital the following morning, and I couldn’t be more grateful that there’s actually one open daily in our area and ready to serve despite the lockdown.

(Featured image by Jacob Schwarts on Unsplash)