Five Cakes, One Life: Embracing the Decades
- Raphaela Fritz
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
A little over a month ago, I had the profound honor of turning 50.
Because my birthday falls right in the heart of the holiday season, smack dab between Christmas and New Year's, I've rarely had big parties throughout my life. As a child growing up in the Midwest, most kids were out of town visiting family during the holidays, so celebrations often felt quiet or postponed. That pattern followed me into adulthood too. But this year was different. My husband and our children surprised me with a beautiful gathering at our home, and my heart felt so full seeing friends from every era and circle of my life come together under one roof.
For me, the party wasn't really about the fanfare. It was about having the people I love in our home, the very space that has held so much of our family's story. Our house has witnessed profound chapters: for several intense years before it fully became ours, my husband Chandler lovingly cared for and shepherded both of his parents through their final days. That era was one of the most beautifully raw and life-changing periods, for them in their end-of-life journey, for our family, for our marriage, and deeply within my own psyche. It shaped us in ways I could never have anticipated.
Back to the celebration. My husband ordered five cakes, one for each decade of my life. All round, all different delicious flavors. Our 16-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter picked them up, and apparently a couple didn't survive the trip intact. They fell or got jostled in transit. When Chandler saw the slightly damaged cakes, instead of frustration, he just laughed and said, "This is perfect. It's a symbol of Raphaela's life. There were at least a couple of rough decades!"
When they brought out the cakes on the table and everyone sang, that sentiment landed so deeply. I love this metaphor for my life.
Like so many of us, I've been through it. If you only met me today, you might not guess the raw, dark struggles, the trauma, the grit I've navigated. But those eras, the messy, imperfect ones, have shaped me profoundly. When approached with wisdom and grace, they can be transformed. They become the very experiences that allow us to emerge stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. And if we make it through to the other side, we can become beacons of light for others walking similar paths.
This is exactly why I created Sovereign Pearl, my signature course and a core part of my life's work. It's unlike anything else for women: a deep, embodied journey to own your messy cake eras, integrate them into who you are, heal at the most profound levels, and emerge forever changed.
We begin in just over a month (March 5th through May 5th, 2026), and in the spirit of the month of love, there's a special journey-with-a-friend offer that's too good to miss: bring a friend and join together, you each save $375 (this is big!), using code LOVESOVEREIGN50 through 2/14.
You're held 100% by me throughout the 10-week immersion, and you receive lifetime access to all the transformative materials, practices, and community support.
Here's to embracing every layer, smooth frosting and smudged edges alike. Life isn't about perfection; it's about the delicious, meaningful whole.
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