World Peace of Cake

A fictional story is just a story that hasn’t happened yet. But it will. I’m waiting for it, and looking for it everywhere I go. Each day is an artistic experiment of noticing things and making thought adjustments.

Did you ever notice how simply going out to do a modest list of errands tends to blow your circuits? There are so many distractions in the world, the outside world, away from home. So many decisions lurking everywhere and risky opportunities to spend money.

Wisely and with self-restraint I didn’t try to do everything on my list yesterday. Which is why I went out again today, to finish the list. Before leaving home I asked my husband, “Do you need anything out in the world?“

“Yes, world peace.“ He said.

Taking him seriously, I kept my eye out for world peace, I thought about it a lot, I looked for signs of where and how it was starting. I saw a baby bunny, and a baby bird. I gave blood, got some groceries, and redeemed some cans from the canned fizzy water I seem to have become addicted to. I noticed how impatient I was as I neared the end of my errands. I decided to slow down and try to enjoy my time out in the world. To facilitate this I bought a fancy coffee and a fresh baked cookie. If I’m home late, well what can he expect when he sends me out for world peace.

World peace doesn’t seem like too much to ask for ... It should be a piece of cake. I was about to leave town on that satisfyingly absurd note when I was surprised to find an actual idea for achieving world peace in my head - or at least it would get the ball rolling I thought.

For years now I’ve carried out a ministry of birthday blessings. Every person I’m friends with on Facebook, whether I know them in real life or not, gets a special “happy birthday” post from me on their timeline. I was thinking of Daniel, who I do know in real life, and who I had just sent one of my digital birthday cards to. I could easily stop by his house on the way home. If world peace is a piece of cake, then I could deliver him a cupcake for his birthday, and then: There are people all over the world who share the same birthday. I begin to imagine a kind of system where when I wished one friend happy birthday ten other people in faraway places who share that same birthday would also get birthday wishes of a similar nature, perhaps a cupcake with a commemorative, “ World peace of cake birthday” flag stuck in it with a tooth pick. People would begin to feel connected to other people outside their circle, all celebrating that they exist, and share the a certain day of the year as their birthday. Can you imagine it? Strangers would meet on the airplane and recognize each other in the commonality of a World Peace birthday cake token, perhaps learning that though they are different ages, colors, cultures, and places, they share something in common: a birthday.

Daniel

Daniel wasn’t expecting cards or packages in the mail for his birthday when he walked to the mailbox, but inside under a spaceship-like dome of plastic he saw a special gift just for him. It was one big gorgeous chocolate cupcake with strawberry frosting and toothpick flag on top. An orange sunset flag proclaiming:“World Peace of cake to you Daniel! Happy birthday!”

He recognized the art on the flag and looked for his friend’s signature. There it was, in a tiny heart he needed his pocket magnifier to see. He’d already gotten the virtual Facebook card. Liz was usually too busy to do anything in real life. He savored the chocolate cake thinking the message through as he chewed and licked the extra frosting from the dome. This was important, yes. As a systems person he recognized right away that this, the world peace cake when shared, birthday by birthday, slice by slice, cupcake by cupcake could lead more understanding, sharing, love, kindness, generosity, tolerance, and eventually world peace.

World Peace

The idea seemed to want to grow. It gathered the right people around it who tended it and provisioned for its needs. The idea was a force, a force for good, and when people served it, it grew like corn. Big beautiful heads of golden peace to feed the world, one birthday at a time.