There is a bakery close to our home that sells the best baked goods. You can smell the wonderful aromas as you get close. At this time of year, the ovens are doing double duty!
Now, of course, during the pandemic, we have to wait outside since only one customer is allowed in at a time. It’s a tiny space with a narrow aisle in front of the glassed-in display of mouthwatering treats. Really, there isn’t room for more than one or two people. The lineup of people outside in the cold is patient and friendly since everyone knows the wait will be rewarded.
My husband, Ric, and I have a favorite. It’s the bagel blanketed with a generous serving of toasted sesame seeds. When you reach in to pick one up, a few precious seeds drop into your hand, teasing you with the taste of things to come.
The bagels are such a generous size that we slice it in half and share one, toasted with butter and cream cheese for our breakfast.
Today I noticed, and not for the first time, that whoever toasts the bagel takes the bottom half. When my husband brought me my half today, I saw him eyeing the top half that was resplendent with sesame seeds on my plate. “Would you like this?” I asked. “No, it’s for you,” he responded.
I’ve had friends comment on the strength of our relationship. I think a lot of it comes down to giving each other the top half of the bagel whenever we get the chance. Sometimes the most important gestures of love aren’t the big displays but the many small things we do for each other.
My wish for you is you have someone who gives you the top half of the bagel.