Interesting, isn’t it? It doesn’t matter how crazy our day has been, cracking open a fortune cookie and reading the tiny slip of paper inside brings back childhood jubilee. While this crunchy dessert is tasty, there is a lot of mystery surrounding the origin of the fortune cookie.

One legend says the fortune cookie was invented to inspire the poor in California. Another recalls California railroad workers that tucked notes into biscuits to celebrate the Moon Festival. But the most widely held belief is that fortune cookies were invented in 1878 in Kyoto, Japan. Here, street vendors grilled a savory, flat dough made with miso paste and folded it into the traditional fortune cookie shape. After, they tucked a handwritten paper fortune inside.

This Japanese cookie, called tsujiura senbei, was sold for good luck. These fortune-filled treats eventually made their way to Japanese restaurants in California. They became popular in California’s Chinese restaurants after World War II. But did you know? These lightly sweet treats are not prevalent in China. In fact, many areas of China are completely unfamiliar with the after-dinner tradition. Regardless of where and why fortune cookies came to be, one accepted truth is this—fortune cookies have become a popular American staple. So popular in fact, that 3 billion cookies are now produced each year. That’s a lot of cookies—and a lot of fortunes.

So what is the significance of the cookie and the paper tucked inside? Some believe the fortune symbolizes luck, wisdom and trust in the unknown. Others simply view them as a fun treat. Whether you believe in their symbolism or just like to play your lucky numbers, the best part of the cookie is the fortune hiding inside. After all, the invisible is more powerful than the visible, even when it comes inside a cookie.

While you may not change your life for a fortune, a good one sometimes comes along that feels perfectly crafted, just for you.

-No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible.

-It is up to you to create your own adventure.

-Life is a series of choices. Today, yours are good ones.

-Your road ahead is made smooth by good friends.

-Beauty surrounds you because you create it.

-The principle business of life is to enjoy it.

And there it is, a fortune with wisdom. That invisible message that was hiding inside a cookie just waiting for someone to reveal it. Because the principle business of life truly is enjoyment. Seek out your own happiness. Be present in every moment and find the good in all of it. It’s amazing what we can learn by snacking on a fortune cookie.

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