“The Art of Bread Dough: A Metaphor for Building a Successful Life”
At first glance, bread dough may seem like a simple mixture of flour, water, yeast, sugar and salt.
But I am here to tell you that making bread dough is an art that requires patience, practice, and perseverance.
So doesn’t life!
My grandmother taught me how to make bread when I was ten years old. She dumped a pile of flour into a bowl.
“How much flour, Gram?”
“Oh, about half full,” she said, adding a spoonful of yeast. Then she used her hand to ‘measure’ some salt and tossed that in, followed by pouring molasses over the mound in the bowl.
Then, taking what looked like an old pickle jar, Gram pour in some warm milk.
“How much milk, Gram? And how warm?”
“Come here. Feel how nice and warm the dough is? That is what you want.”
“Yes, but…but…”
I needed specifics, my grandmother spoke in generalities.
I have spent my life wanting someone to tell me specifically how to live and love and be successful.
But what I get are generalities: “Read a lot, listen a lot. And ask questions. Your answer is in that journey.”
A scoop of this, a handful of that, and lots of muscle are added to the dough and then we wait. And wait. Punch it down. And wait some more.
Then she opened a hot stove, popped the raw dough in and we waited more time for the magic to happen.
I am in my last third of life and I am still waiting…
The process of creating a successful life is not just about doing a few things ‘right’ and expecting all to be well. It is a journey that involves hard work, determination, and resilience.
It is made with a scoop of this, a handful of that, and lots of waiting. Let’s explore how bread dough serves as a metaphor for a successful life.
Preparing the Dough
As my grandmother had shown me, you need to take the flour, yeast, warm water, or milk and mix it all together without forgetting the salt.
Similarly, in life, you need to have a plan and set goals for yourself. You may have an image of your goal, like a whole loaf of warm baked bread, but what are your ingredients?
Life, like bread, doesn’t need a lot of salt but without it, the result can be pretty bland. I use a touch of humor, a handful of something creative like art or music, and I allow for a spoonful of mystery that grows and stretches the fibers of my soul like yeast.
Kneading the Bread Dough
When Gram began to knead the dough I was too young to understand that life would also ask the same thing of me.
Folding, pushing, and stretching the dough develops the gluten and gives the bread its structure but it is a tiring and repetitive process.
I have decided to rename my failures ‘kneadings’, for I have lived long enough to allow the push and pull that happens when I try to do something, fall on my face without an ounce of class, pull myself back up, and try again.
Each round of this kneading creates strength and flavor in my life.
Letting the Dough Rise
One mistake I made often when I was younger was failing to set myself aside to allow the yeast (mystery) to ferment, expanding my vision, my purpose, and my hopes.
This process of inner growth takes time and requires patience, which is why I set aside time every day to allow myself to ‘rise’ and become all that I was created to be.
Baking the Bread
Finally, after the dough has risen, it is time to put it in the oven, allowing the heat to transform it into a delicious loaf of bread.
We all have different ‘heats’ in our lives. The pain of loss or regret may sear our soul in ways we want to escape, but bread removed from the oven too early is heavy and tasteless in the center.
My approach when the heat is on in my life is to focus on the end product. I want my life to become light and nourishing.
I accept that I am meant ultimately to be consumed and I want every crumb to be cherished.
Baking a perfect loaf of bread requires precision and attention to detail, as even a slight variation in temperature or timing affects the final result.
Paying attention to details is my weakest area. I get distracted and forget that something is ‘cooking’ in my soul, moving quickly when I feel ‘overheated.’
I have learned to pause in my creative process long enough to savor the aroma of what is cooking.
I listen to others for their wisdom, I may set a timer to remind me to get up and move, and then I do what Dekker (my service dog) has taught me – I use my nose to tell me whether something is almost done.
( I have written many pages that truly ‘stink,’ and end up in the compost.)
Conclusion
I invite you to bake a loaf of homemade bread and meditate on what each step brings to your understanding of your life.
The journey may be long and challenging, but with perseverance and determination, success has never smelled so sweet.
And remember, we were not given life to put on the shelf. It is meant to be dipped in honey, consumed, and enjoyed!
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