I'm one for change. Adjustments to big changes have always been fine with me.
Perhaps it's my optimistic attitude, maybe it's my genetic make up–I'm not sure why–but it's exciting to do things differently in a big way. Move to another city, take a different job, start a new hobby, be challenged by a new sport, all of this is great. Challenging. Exciting. I'm a rose colored glasses person.
But it's going a bit too far when I'm too busy to make a pie crust. Just sayin'.
When one has an idea about oneself, and circumstances change to bring about a different ideal, it can be difficult to 'roll with the changes' (quoting REO Speedwagon). Images form in your mind as to the way things should be and when this fact changes, it can disturb the psyche.
Within 2013, my youngest graduated high school, my granddaughter celebrated her first birthday, I became gluten and dairy free, I started a new sport, I went back to work full time, my daughter got married, I sort of have an empty nest, I got a dog and two goats, and all of this is just fine. I'm terribly, wonderfully happy with all of these changes.
But things are not fine when I don't have time to bake.
Baking is sort of like therapy for me. It's a slice of life I'd rather not do without. Put a rolling pin in my hand and a dusting of flour on my counter and I'm in heaven. I love the smell of freshly baked bread and even though I'm now gluten free, this is something I've done for my family for twenty years.
My grandmother taught me to bake bread over the telephone after I left home. She painstakingly explained how to activate yeast and exactly how to knead the dough to elasticity. When I'm baking, I concentrate and create. It's like I'm in the zone.
My baking revelation came about when I had to purchase a pie for a get together instead of taking the time to bake it from scratch. Staring at the pie in the plastic and aluminum container caused stress for me. It's symbolic of time I no longer have, time I took for granted to serve my family.
Carving out the time to do these things will happen because although I thrive with change, I do not want my standards to be lowered. If I'm going to consume empty calories, they will be worth the weight, so to speak.
This is my new year resolve.
Keep on rolling.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Roll with the changes