In a recent article by JD Dean Signs of a Cheating Boyfriend there appears a reference to a well know incorrect saying;

"You can't have your cake and eat it"

Why is this incorrect?

Simply, you can have your cake and you can eat it, it is just that there will be no cake left.

However, you can't eat your cake and have it, because there is no cake left.

This lead me to think further about the framework of eating cake, having it, and the consequences of the actions.

What if there was more than one cake? Well you could quite happily eat your cakes, knowing that there were more left, you could have an abundance of cake knowing that the supply will never run out.

What if you had one cake, but you had the means to purchase more cakes? The more successful you become financially would determine the quality of the cakes you could purchase in the future. You may even be able to purchase the bakery set up a chain of stores and profit from your cake eating passions.

What if the cake you had eaten, wasn't the cake that you wanted because your big brother had taken the best and you had to make do with what was left. But when Big Brother leaves home for college, you become big brother and will have power over your little brother. Having experienced unfairness would you share the cakes? Or would you take the biggest and best? Don't forget that just before the cakes run out ask mum and dad to buy some more? (cakes running out creates some interesting imagery!!)

What if the cake you had was a slice of a much bigger cake, would it make a difference if your slice of cake was bigger or smaller than anyone elses slice of cake? If the slice of the cake was determined by your success in life would you strive to be more successful so that your slice was bigger?

What if the cake was infinite, a self-perpetuating cake, that no matter how much you ate, there would be enough for you and everyone else? Would you get board of eating the same cake day-in day-out? Maybe the cake would need to be re-created occassionally with different ingredients and different recipes.

Am I leading you down the pathway whereby "cake is life".

You create an original thought "I want cake"
You have the desire to have your cake.
You put positive action into getting your cake.
Resources that already exist move you and the cake towards each other.
You have faith and belief that you will get your cake.
You express gratitude for all the resources that are bringing the cake to you.
You receive your cake and pay for the delivery of it.

You eat your cake and then start the process all over again.

yum, yum

Author's Bio: 

Cake creator and consumer. Occassionally I have to make do with a doughnut, but for those special occassions I go into a pattisserie and purchase a big slice of chocolate cake, sometimes I might even have two.

The article is tongue-in-cheek, but think about "can't have your cake and eat it", "can't eat your cake and have it" how many scenarios can you come up with?

Mike is author of The Natural Pattern and co-author of The Tutors education resources. He has created a range of Verbal reasoning exercises for Language Development and has tutored and lectured for over twenty years.