Working at a Catholic university, we talk a lot about vocations and discernment. Discerning a life to the priesthood, to married life, discerning a vocation to a specific career, teaching or counseling, for example.
I realize that while professionally I am a counselor (and frankly, I have serious doubts as to how effective I am at this), it is probably not my true vocation. My true vocation, I'm coming to realize more and more, is to feed people. I'm sure this stems from being a.) Southern and b.) a woman, and growing up with a mom and two grandmothers who cooked and baked constantly. I'm definitely the type of person who, when someone is in distress, whips out a tray of brownies. "Here, let me feed you" is generally my first response (possibly this is why I feel like I'm not an effective counselor--there's no kitchen in my office!).
I bring baked goods to new neighbors, moms and new babies, staff parties, holiday gatherings, get-togethers of friends. Pretty much anywhere it would be socially acceptable, in other words. I'm cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year, and invited all the single grad students...only a few of them may show up, but it honestly makes me distressed to think of poor, hungry students with no turkey on Thanksgiving. I can't help it...I have to feed them.
I'm blessed to be able to bake almost instinctively (cooking comes less easily, but I still enjoy it), and routinely have people ask me "how did you make this??" to things I think are simple and that I can practically bake in my sleep. (I won't lie, I sometimes daydream in boring meetings or lectures about things I want to cook).
Brian constantly tells me I should open a bakery, and while I think it would be nice to be able to bake all day long, the business side of things scare me away. (But I would call it The Honeybee Bakery). Plus, I can't claim any kind of professional training at all--I just make homey tasting things. And enjoy it.
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