“Auntie Carma, we’re going to have cuppy-cakes (cupcakes),” Ruby exclaimed, much to the dismay of her mom. In less than two seconds, the birthday surprise was disclosed and broadcasted to the wrong person. But for a two year old, a secret was far less exciting than sharing the joy and excitement of cuppy-cakes.
Although my birthday was spent in view of snow-sparkling mountains and looking glass lakes, the anticipation of cuppy-cakes trailed us all day. It wasn’t until around 8 p.m. that the day was made complete; the cuppy-cakes were served, and in less than 5 minutes of devouring the treat, a sheer smile of delight tickled Ruby’s cheeks. Her expression spoke volumes; her day couldn’t have ended any better than with a colorful-iced, surprise-filled cuppy-cake.
This cupcake joy brought to mind one of my college writing assignments. For the assignment, I was instructed to find a simple thing in life that brought me delight and compose one descriptive paragraph in such a way as to bring delight to my audience. I remember struggling with the assignment; I couldn’t find a small, daily event that delighted me. Of course, I had favorite family vacations, outstanding birthdays, and other wonderful events. But the assignment demanded “the simple things.”
As I watched Ruby inhale her cuppy-cake, I couldn’t help but smile, realizing at that moment what I had missed in my struggles with that assignment a few years ago. I didn’t have the eyes or heart of a two year old. I didn’t see going to the park as the highlight of my day; I wasn’t thankful for pasta, the post office, or the library; I didn’t find having ice cream as an occasion for the dance of joy. Somewhere along the road of maturing, life seemed to hide these simple delightful things and replaced them with daily stresses.
In the eight days I spent with Ruby, I learned that when sad times come, maybe singing a song will bring some cheer… when the day is going slow, maybe fixing a puzzle will move time faster… when the world is shattered with a “no,” yogurt and gelato brings great comfort… and when friends are nowhere around, open a book and meet some new friends. For, it is in these simple things that the greatest delights of life are found!!
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