I tend to lump ideas like love languages and birth order, into the pish posh folder. But the older I get {ahhh 30 is just a few days away!!} the more I realize there is truth to them...well there is truth to birth order.

I am a middle child. I have done things, seen things, and been places no one else in my family has. I am very much a product of my upbringing. We are all a bit wild in our own ways.  I am a bit funny, kind, generous, selfless, I love to serve, and wish I could take credit  for being this way but i cannot, I am this way because my parent were and are funny, kind, generous, selfless, humble and a million other amazing things.   There are however times, I really crave a yacht, a designer wardrobe complete with fancy bags and heels with red soles. There I times I want giant giant diamonds and a private island to live on and a small country to control. It is at these moments I wonder ;) {this would lend you to think I was an only child}

Then there are moments when I am wrong or I make a mistake or I get on a plane to Singapore and I am wrong and make mistakes all within the first few minutes of being in the kitchen and the middle child thing kicks in with a fury. I get quiet, internally hot and embarrassed, and I instantly feel like I don't belong and I scramble to feel like I fit in.  Sadly this happened almost every single day! And maybe not so sadly.....because it got me to thinking.

Where do I belong? And while I was cleaning up the chocolate mess, or bagging the cake batter whose eggs were over whipped, or re-platting, or or or and, I had a fraction of the realization that I belong wherever I am. Within reason of course. This is not new knowledge but little reminders are nice to have. I have the same mortal right as any color, any height, any nationality, any religion, to breath the air, explore the unknown. There will be more who know more, have seen more, have been there before, but comparisons should never be made. We all sleep, oxygenate blood, and give or take one or two, we all have the same # of bones and chromosomes. We should not compare, but learn from those who have been/seen/explored/done/gone before. With all hope, those persons will be willing to enlighten, if not, we must be gracious and move on to another who will assist your progression in a positive direction.

And once I convinced myself of this, everything else was bliss. Chocolate was perfectly tempered, cakes were decorated with ease, and plating was up to snuff. There is nothing in your way, except yourself.