Last night I had a slice of German chocolate cake with ice cream. It was delicious, made by a friend who is an excellent cook and baker. The frosting was a wonderful concoction of coconut and pecans and sugar. The cake was rich and dark. It probably didn’t need the ice cream, but I scooped a generous portion onto the plate and enjoyed it fully. It was my second piece of German chocolate cake this week. I had a portion the night before at dinner at our friend’s house and took a second piece home for last night.

It is going to be a week of cake. Tonight I will bake brownies to take to work on Wednesday in celebration of Susan’s birthday. And we are baking two angel food cakes for a family celebration on Thursday when we will celebrate the birthdays of two of our grandsons with a bit of celebration for Susan on the side. Then on next Sunday, there will be a birthday party for our oldest grandson with his friends and there will be an ice cream cake for that celebration. People often talk about going on a diet after Christmas. I think I’ll need a diet after birthday week.

Dessert isn’t a regular routine in our household. We usually have some sweet treats in our house. I’m known for keeping a supply of ginger snaps and we almost always have some ice cream in the freezer. But we generally don’t eat dessert following our meals. The sweet treats are most often consumed as a snack in the evening after we’ve had a couple of hours for our dinner to settle. I confess that I have gotten into a rather bad habit of bedtime snacking. From what I have read, that isn’t the best habit to form.

I’ve watched as our children have worked to teach their children healthy eating habits. Both of our children are careful about their food choices and try to limit sweets for the children. Both of them also acknowledge that a sweet treat from time to time is part of joyful living. Birthdays are great times for celebrating and cakes are parts of those celebrations. Halloween can be a wonderful children’s holiday and a few treats are part of the traditions of the holiday. Special dinners deserve special desserts. Pie at Thanksgiving and Christmas are traditions not only in our household, but in our children’s as well.

It is hard, however, to limit snacks and treats when the surrounding culture is so filled with sweets and sugary beverages. When our children were growing up, soda pop was reserved for special occasions. We didn’t keep it in the house and our children got access to it only on rare occasions. A small amount was allowed when we had a fast food meal, which was not a common thing at our home.

Not that I am retired, I keep a few bottles of root beer and ginger beer in our refrigerator. Our son will help himself to one when he comes over. It puts a smile on my face to see him do so. I know he is careful to avoid sweets at home, but he enjoys a treat when he comes to visit us. And he isn’t the only one who enjoys the beverage. I like to drink one on occasion, too.

I know that I am overweight. The main reason I am overweight is the amount and type of food I eat. I’m quite active for my age. I have a fitness application on my phone that tracks my exercise and I exceed my goals nearly every day. Susan and I walk every day for at least a half hour and often more. According to my watch I usually triple the amount of walking through the rest of the day with my usual lifestyle. I park at the edge of the parking lot, I take the stairs and avoid the elevator. I enjoy paddling and rowing. I like farm chores and making repairs. I’m sure I exceed the recommended amount of physical activities for someone my age. But I also exceed the number of calories eaten.

I know that the proper way to lose weight and keep it off is to make lifestyle choices. Diets are short term fixes and though I can lose weight by dieting, I am not interested in temporary results. I want to maintain the best health overall that I am able.

So I let myself enjoy German chocolate cake. I try to make it a rare treat. We don’t bake that kind of cake at home except for a special occasion. But when it is offered in the context of a fun dinner with friends, I don’t shy away and I allow myself to enjoy the experience.

Like so many things in life, it is about balance. I admit that I haven’t always gotten the balance right. I confess that I am guilty of over consuming in a world where there are too many people who are hungry. The shape of my body is a visible sign that I have privilege that is denied to others. But I can’t imagine life without the gift of sharing meals with friends. Getting together and sharing food is a way to build and strengthen relationships. The Covid pandemic has pretty much stopped shared meals at our church. We managed to have a successful picnic at the end of the summer, but so far eating indoors together is not on the list of approved activities. I think that the ban on sharing food is as out of balance as my overconsumption. We haven’t achieved perfection yet. We continue to struggle. We are still learning.

I’ll try to be careful about portion size this week, but I’m not going to worry too much. Birthdays are worth celebrating and the people we are celebrating are genuine gifts in my life. Sharing in their celebration is worth the indulgence. Having enough to share is a luxury to which I have become accustomed. I hope others find joy in a sweet treat from time to time.