Even though I missed the experience watching it in the cinema I feel like I will always remember when and how I watched it. Friends invited me to their lovely home and after cooking together we watched the movie while eating (yes, more food 😊!) Belgian waffles. If you haven’t watched it so far, I would highly recommend to do so. It’s about dreams, friendship, creativity and believing in yourself.

One song really touched me when I properly listened to the lyrics.

It starts off quietly and you cannot only hear but feel the pain and the hurt in the voice. With each verse the song is getting stronger and more powerful. 
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The message is loud and clear – You are worthy, you are brave and there is only one beautiful you. Don’t hide, don’t allow anyone to put you down and don’t let anyone tell you you’re not good enough to be loved. Say strongly and loudly “This is me”!

During my childhood I loved when mum was doing some baking – my sister and I used to be there just in time to make sure we won’t miss out on some cookie dough or cake batter.

I had the pleasure to meet a chef at the Retreat and one day she decided to do some baking. When I came into the kitchen on that special day, a sweet, warm and buttery smell of baking was in the air. Tina was behind the kitchen counter and bowls & muffin trays in front of her. I couldn’t wait to find out what she was doing and where this delicious smell came from.

Until this day I have never heard of “Brookies”. And I bet my face must have been full of question marks when Tina was talking about them. Now I know Brookies are a mix of brownie and cookie. After finding out that a combination like this actually exists, I got even more excited as I do LOVE cookies and would potentially never say “No” to a brownie either. 

Thank god that some of these Brookies were already in the oven so the promised tasting part wasn’t far away 😊. The whole place smelled soooooo good. But besides that, it was great to see what food does – It creates memories and connections. And I also realised once again you can always learn something new every day – if you want to. You just need to be curious and open.

The tasting of my first ever Brookie:

The freshly baked and still warm Brookie looked very similar to a muffin. The base & the outside part was made out of cookie dough so it isn’t as soft as a muffin and more like a crispy cookie. The inside/middle part of the Brookie was made out of a lemon brownie and was soft, creamy and mouth-watering. I was enjoying every single bite of it and far far away in “dessert heaven”. Fortunately, Tina made heaps of them so everyone was very lucky to get to try a Brookie. 

But to be honest I’m glad my sister wasn’t around so I didn’t have to share. But I will happily make them for her at some point as Tina has kindly shared her recipe!

Tina’s BROOKIES
COOKIE BASE
200g butter (melted)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 T vanilla essence
3 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder

Grease muffin tray.
Beat butter and sugar for 1 minute.
Add eggs and vanilla, beat for 1 minute.
Stir in flour and baking powder.
Dough should look and feel soft. But not sticky.
Roll into 30g (or Table spoon size) balls and press into muffin trays, dough should come up at least 3/4s to the top.

CREAM CHEESE FILLING
1 packet of cream cheese (250g)
4 T sugar

Mix sugar through cream cheese.
Spoon into cookie cases. (1 big teaspoon)

LEMON BROWNIE
250g butter (melted)
2 cups white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs (I use size 6)
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Zest of 4 lemons
Juice of 2 lemons
(You will use the other 2 lemons to juice for the lemon glaze.)

Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius.
Combine butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt until smooth.
Stir in lemon zest and juice.
Spoon over cookie cases. Just to the top. Try not to over fill.
Bake for 15 – 20mins.

LEMON GLAZE
3/4 cup of icing sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
Hot water if needed.

Add lemon juice to icing sugar. Stir until smooth. Add a teaspoon of hot water if glaze is too thick. Glaze should be thin enough to drizzle over the BROOKIES with a fork.

As quickly as I got to cruising along straights I was met with the challenge of an incline in the road. Like my life, the cruising was quickly ended and the challenge of pushing myself up that hill kicked in. Breathing became laboured, my heart rate increased rapidly, my body hurt and the scenery wasn’t in my radar any longer. What was in front of me, the huge amount of effort and energy it took to keep me on the bike moving forwards was just like my life.

For every uphill battle however, light was on the other side. I pushed through to the top and “Hurray!” … what goes up, must come down!

I felt free and it was so exhilarating as I sped with ease, the wind whipping past my body and bike as I hurtled down the declining road, around a bend, breathing, enjoying the thrill of joyfully excited adrenaline rather than the all too often pulsating adrenaline brought about by constant shocks. All those damn traumatic experiences.

Hmm my life has been too much of a roller coaster ride over the past couple of years. I have lacked in those cruisy, flat places along the road, and struggled with way too many uphill rides. Today, I pushed through though. I stayed on that bike, despite feeling a sore bum. I saw clarity and worked out the math. I didn’t have too much further to get to the main road. I wanted to stay in the saddle and cycle for the entire duration of the Hurford Road…the uphills, the downhills and the flats. I want and need my life after the Retreat to get to that place again.

That balance I have always strived for in my every day….I want it! I need it and I see now that I deserve it!

​14 km yesterday putting a neglected spirit and body on a bike that hasn’t been cared for in a while to 16 km today. Goals, vision, direction, clarity and determination to rise up healthier and stronger and happier. Ahhhh! I’m liking this feeling….

Author

Katrina Rukuwai, New Plymouth

How often are we mind-wandering in the past and the future and the here and now literally slips away.

We are super excited when we do or see things for the first time. But when we start to get used to them, we might not pay as much attention or actually appreciate them.

Unfortunately, sometimes we realise too late that what we had was very special.

I have been living in New Zealand for 4 years and I’m still excited to see a sheep. Sounds silly right?! Some people do smile or laugh about it. 

​But I hope it will never change.

My mum used to say “Be kind to others” and as a child I had no idea that kindness will be so important to me one day.
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Being kind is the hug you give a friend who is going through a difficult time; the message you send to check in on your sister who is sick or the cookie you put on the desk of your colleague who seems to be having bad day.

You don’t even need to know the person to be kind.  A simple act of kindness can be the smile you give a stranger in the supermarket; holding the door open for someone or the “Good morning” to the bus driver.

It doesn’t take much to be kind and you can literally start straight away.  Little and bigger acts of kindness can make such a difference in people’s life.  It makes them feel noticed, cared for and valued.  But it will also make a difference to you.

It will fill you with warmth; joy and will most likely put a smile on your face – because you did something good for someone else.

Kindness is limitless. Kindness is free. Kindness is magic.