12/04/2024
As I was making cinnamon rolls last night, I realized that we, as humans, are not very different from dough. It sounds crazy but hear me out.
When making the dough, there are a lot of variances that can cause something to go wrong. The liquid temperature must be right for the yeast to bloom. If it is too hot, you will kill the yeast, too cold, and it may not activate the yeast. Too much flour will make it very dense. Too little flour, the dough will not hold its shape. The same with kneading the dough, rise times, and baking. As bakers, we do our best to make sure all these components are just perfect so that we can get a perfect product every time. While we like to think that we can create this every time, outside factors can impact our control. Life happens, we lose track of time, an emergency phone call, and the power goes out. I could go on and on about different moments that happen all. the. time.
There are a lot of factors in our lives that determine who we become, and it does not stop once we become an adult or hit a life milestone. Life cannot be as controlled as a recipe, but if we take the time to control what we can, it helps our overall outcome. Whether that be setting boundaries to enjoy alone time (rise times), making sure we have all of our ingredients to be successful in the season of life that we are in (yeast, tepid water, flour, etc.), or knowing to acknowledge when there may be too much of one thing in our life (too much or too little flour), we will be successful as we go through high heat to create a successful moment.
I know I am just as guilty for not being able to acknowledge half of what I just wrote, but if I were to treat my life with a little of the care and compassion that I put into perfecting cinnamon rolls or a yummy bread, I know I would feel better. I hope that through this crazy Christmas season, you take the time that you need to feel fed, refreshed, and cared for as you enjoy the holiday spirit.
Merry Christmas all 🩵
