Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Baking and Making Friends



After her husband died she was lost
wondering how the future would fill her days.
To keep herself busy she pulled out the flour
and other ingredients and made cinnamon buns,
a favorite of her late husband.

The aroma wafted out into the street 
and neighbors dropped by for a taste 
of the sweets. Conversation 
and laughter filled the room.

The next day she baked an apple pie and took it
to the young mother who arrived home with her child.
She didn’t stay but it had a chocolate cake
when the young mother returned it later that week.

Baking was never a chore, something about kneading
the dough kept her mind occupied
and her body strong. She become a favorite friend
throughout the neighborhood. 

Never lonely her kitchen, now a busy place,
friends dropping in sharing gossip and recipes
pumpkin pies and fruit cakes for the holidays
dusting and sprinkling, folding and rolling,
her arms became stronger, her heart larger.

She was favorite for children who knew
when they came home from school
they were welcome to stop by
and have a chocolate brownie
or oatmeal cookie or two.

The more she gave away, 
the more she received.
Days passed quickly
holidays and celebrations 

blended like the ingredients on her pantry shelf
sugar, cocoa, flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon
a little bit of this, a dash of that.

Cookies cut out and frosted on a window shelf
stories unfolded, relationships made
lives bound together like pie crusts 
and braided bread, 

It is said a church’s walls hold the tears 
and prayers from it's congregation.
Likewise her kitchen filled with the good will 
and love from all the friends she made.




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