The Perfect Cookie

I love chocolate chip cookies. Chips Ahoy. Chips Deluxe. The Jewel Brand cookies. However, my absolute favorites are oven-baked Pilsbury. I realize to those who are “real” bakers these cannot be considered “homemade” but for me it’s as close as I get. Like Goldie Locks and baby bear’s porridge, I like my cookies “just right.” This is no easy task, nor do my cookies always meet my high and rigorous standards. Sometimes, I take them out of the oven too late: burnt cookies. Take them out to early: mushy cookies. Take them out of the oven and leave them on the cookie tray too long and they will disappoint you every time. Cookies, like life, are unpredictable.

Because I am highly organized, I have most of my days planned out. I use multiple calendars. There’s the work calendar, the kids calendar, the family calendar, the “love” calendar (I realize how absolutely ridiculous that is to most). My calendar is color-coded and kindly sends me reminders 15 minutes prior to each event on all my electronic devices. When asked if I have time for _________________, my usual response is “let me check my calendar.” Not because I am trying to be elusive or mysterious, I simply have no idea what is going on from day to day. Because I have operationalized my daily processes to my electronic devices, sometimes I lose focus of the important moment RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

I practice this: stopping in the middle of my “important” work to talk to someone, listen to someone, smile at someone or hug someone. Sometimes these interruptions do not happen at the most convenient time and, like the burnt cookie, result in frustration and additional headaches. “If I would have just walked by…," I think to myself. But when we don’t take time to stop, the meaningful, unpredictable moments are missed because the perfectly organized calendar is ruling our life instead of us ruling it.

We miss out on the child who needed to be heard, the teacher who should have be recognized for her outstanding work, the laughter shared by stopping to visit with neighbors down the block, and the “hello” to a stranger that shockingly brightens both your days.

These small unscheduled acts are important: for the people in front of you who are worth your time, and for your own sense of self-worth. Most of the time, you will find yourself biting into a really enjoyable moment in life. Taking time for people will NEVER fail you.

So sit down, grab a tall glass of milk and enjoy your cookie with a friend. Whether it is “perfectly” cooked or not…it will still be sweet!