Delightfully Yours

Written by Rassi Narika
Illustrated by Melissa Sunjaya

The smell of ground cinnamon fills the air with a perfect mix of an exotic tropical forest and the tender touch of winter. From beneath a pile of sweets and candies, a wooden puppet starts to move. Her body is made of planks, while her joints are coarsely pinned. You might think that this would limit her movement, but as she approaches the stove to see if the caramel is simmering, she stirs and her hips start to dance.

Every morning, she crushes rosemary twigs and sprinkles them into the pot, enough to add flavour to the soup she makes. The steam that rushes through the whisk in her hand is magical and always brings the biggest smile to her face. She gently swirls it while taking in its aroma. This is her heaven. With each ingredient that she adds, the world becomes a nicer place.

Nevertheless, she has a heart of gold nestled in a cedar body. She breaks into tears when the cupcakes refuse to rise. Cooking is not about perfection. With all the mistakes, it is truly about creating a perfect balance. When her wooden arms begin to ache, she sends her pain away by holding on to delightful dreams.