I was at my parents’ house along with my brother, sister, her husband and their twins, my nieces. We were gathered to celebrate both my brother’s and dad’s birthdays, which are just a week apart.
We enjoyed a lovely lunch courtesy of my mum, who is an extraordinary cook, but as afternoon turned to early evening, Faye and Rosa, my five year old nieces started to feel renewed hunger pangs.
My mum asked them, “What would you like for tea then girls? Would you like beans on toast?”
I hope I never lose the image of what happened next. Faye, looking up at mum, replied in the softest, most polite, yet exceptionally clear voice, “Erm, no thank you. I’d like a dippy egg.”
I sat quietly watching, but inside I was grinning a very big grin. There was such clarity in her ‘no thank you’. Such neutrality. Such lack of any thinking whatsoever that she ought to say yes because beans were what were on offer or that she might upset my mum if she said no, or that it might be impolite to clearly state what she would actually like.
Oh, to be five, to be free, to say, “No thank you. I’d like a dippy egg.”
May the dippy egg mantra offer you support and encouragement whenever you need to practice clearly stating your heart’s truth.
Love and courage,
Leah
Blessings Leah! I have never ever heard anyone refer to "dippy egg" except my family!! I carried on the phrase and taught my kids what it is…but they never really picked up on it but I STILL refer to "dippy eggs"…this is so fantastic and brings such a smile to my face. I still own the pounded steel small skillet that my mother made dippy eggs in for MANY years. I couldn’t part with it. And oh yes, to be five again…we need to all remember and live our five year old spirit. I’m reading a book right now, "Room", which is a horrifying story in one aspect, but so sweet and joyful and insightful because it is written FROM the perspective of a five year old, in his language and conveying a five year old’s thoughts. I find myself chuckling and smiling throughout this story and it brings such tenderness to my heart. Out of the mouths of babes…. Much Love Leah….
Hello Nancy! Oh wow, this is brilliant! Hearing about your mum’s old skillet makes me think that a dippy egg where you are and a dippy egg here might be different. Are you referring to the egg still in its shell but with a runny yolk to dip your toast soldiers in? Maybe there is a whole world of dippy eggs out there I don’t yet know about! I wonder if the book you are reading is the same as the film by the same name, which I’ve seen, but not read the book. Glad this story brought such happy memories to mind. Lots of love dear Nancy. xx