The Layered Cake Effect

Reflection creeps up on us at pivotal moments in our lives - the birth of a baby, the first day at school, first day at college or university, first day at work, key milestone birthdays, civil partnerships and weddings, separation and divorce, loss and grief. Is it wise to look back? Seeing where you started, how you progressed, how you overcame obstacles, what made you stronger - stands you in good stead to deal with the present and the future.

Layering your life as though it were the best cake ever demonstrates the importance of foundations at different periods of life. The bottom layer signifies family and beginnings, the next layer of cream will represent early life, the next layer of cake will form the teenage years and friendships, the next layer of cream will be those significant 20s that form who we are to become, our next layer of cake represents our 30s and 40s when we adjust and settle, and the icing on the cake is the established life we look back on.

Our lives depend on the first layer of cake; we hope that we have a start that provides us with opportunities to prove ourselves, to achieve, to succeed, to be content and satisfied.