Baking and Life

So, one of the books that I want to write this year and one which is in constant progress, is a cookbook. It’s amazing, because there are so many ways to approach this book. Should I write about a specific meal, for example, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks or holiday meals. Should I write about desserts? What about country specific meals? There are so many ways that I could format this book, and yet, they all sound incredibly wonderful. When I was thinking about how I wanted to approach this, it occurred to me that writing a cookbook and specifically, cooking, is a lot like life. Stay with me now, because this is where it gets interesting.

While writing about, and certainly cooking, all of these wonderful dishes would be incredible and sharing them with all of you even more so, I realized that I can’t just throw them all together and into one book. Not only would it not make sense to do so, but it would be so overwhelming, (not to mention costly to publish) that no one would buy it, no matter how much they wished for it, hoped for it or wanted it. It would be too overwhelming! That’s how life can be sometimes.

There are so many choices in life. Some of them are good for us while others, well, not so much. I’m one of those types of people who would love to experience everything that life has to offer, but like the book that I mentioned in this blog, trying to get to all of it would be overwhelming! So, I need to be content with making lists and deciding what would be the most fulfilling things for me to do during my short stint on this earth. I believe that we all need to do the same thing. Look at the world and the life that you’re living, and decide what it is that you want to do. Decide where you want to go, who you want to be with and what activities would help you to learn and grow and find contentment in this world, while at the same time, bringing a little joy to those around you. You’ll have many chances

Drew~

Driving Force

Years ago, I taught driver’s education for Conahan’s Driving School in Fort Collins, CO. I learned a great deal about driving while teaching there, and continued teaching there for a few years because I thought that they had an amazing curriculum and I was able to teach many of our future drivers how to drive safely on the roads. I thought that their course of study was so good, and is to this day, that I sent my two youngest daughters there before they went for their learner’s permit, and would recommend them to anyone in Northern Colorado who has children ready to learn.

I’ve discovered since that time that our driving is a reflection of our moods and personalities. Recently, I’ve noticed more and more impatient drivers on the roads, and it’s really starting to get to me.

Now, I’m not a perfect driver. I don’t think that anyone is. My wife uses her imaginary footbrake, the one on the passenger’s side, when we drive. I would like to think that I drive well. I stay within the speed limit most of the time. I’m actually one of those people that you might complain about when you’re late. Lately, though, I’ve had so many people tailgating me and, when the opportunity presents itself, find them speeding around me like they’re on their way to a fire, only to have me catch up to them at the next light. Honestly, I have to chuckle when that happens, but I’m concerned about the level of impatience that I see in the world today.

Seeing how so many people are driving makes me wonder why there are so many impatient people out there, and if they’re that impatient in their everyday lives. It used to be said that, “patience is a virtue,” and if that’s still the case, are we becoming less virtuous? Is the art of being patient becoming a lost one?

Patience is a wonderful thing to teach our children by example. I recommend it to each of you. Try being more patient and more kind. Give yourself a little extra time to get places. Be kind to others. Karma has a great way of giving you the extra time that you need when patience becomes a part of your life. Mostly, be patient with yourself, and when you do, you’ll find a whole new world that surrounds you and holds you I a warm hug from the world.

Drew

Being Strong

I’ve always liked to have considered myself a strong person. Physically strong, yes, but I would like to think that I’m more than that. We all do to some degree. I would love to think that I am the master of my life and keeper of my destiny. I would love to believe that no matter what happens in life, it’s leading me to the end goal where I want to be. I want to believe that success is just a few inches away. The funny thing is, I do believe all of that and more!

Everyday, I look at what I’m doing, where I’ve been and where I’m headed, and I make small adjustments. This is much like sailing a ship or driving to a destination. With a ship, one must make small corrections in course, to maintain the correct path to the final destination. When driving, a road might be closed or a route might have changed, and corrections must be made to adjust. Life’s journey is the same way.

Many people go through life, allowing it to carry them along like a river current. They float through life without a destination or purpose. They basically live life by default and what ever good things might happen, they happen at the hands of others, or worse, the hand of fate. I look at life and I have decided that I want to reach a final destination as a writer. I write daily. I look for places to post my works and explore places where I can get paid for what I love to do. The more I look, the more I do and the more I try, the more work I get and the closer I get to becoming someone that is recognized for the words that I put together to make people laugh, think and consider.

Each of us have this internal drive. Many of us, in this day and age, try to ignore it and shove it aside; bury it so that we don’t have to face what our potential could be. My challenge to each of you, is to let that part of you shine through. Explore your inner desires and do your best to release your full potential. If everyone in the world did this, just imagine what we could accomplish, create and become!

Drew~