My Wife: The Inadvertant Coach
My wife has been my inadvertent Coach, in that she is not always conscious of the impact she is having on my learning curve.
Of course having successfully established myself as a Coach many years ago, she does take full credit for any capabilities I possess!
Perhaps rightfully.
She is also an expert and excellent baker. And to use my time restricted at home due to the break-the-chain need that we all possess, I requested that she teach me baking.
So, we started with bread.
That an exact temperature is required for Yeast to be activated and not die, I took lightly, and therefore, in water not so lukewarm as was instructed, the yeast "died".
This we got to know only the one hour later, when the well-kneaded dough failed to rise. (We are 6 adults at home and three strapping sons so you can imagine the quantity of dough!)
My first attempt at baking was going to reach the trash can before it even took off!! So much effort wasted??
But the expert and excellent baker treated this major obstacle only as another opportunity.
"We can use the dough to make Pizza instead"
Wow! Really?? I was famazooled!! And Pizza was like my evolved dream of what I could do once I was really accomplished.
So, my attempt was not going to trash but was getting double, triple, friple promotions to Pizza? Yes wow!!
Ham and Pepperoni! Okay, this is Lent but after 4 weeks of strict fasting and abstinence and having our sons return due to Coronavirus, we exchanged our abstinence from food items to not opening our front door instead. Fasting can be managed without abstaining from any particular food item if desired.
Ham and Pepperoni ... finally even the kids were getting excited by the cooking lesson! (I guess they are always going to be called kids regardless of how strapping and old they get to be),
The Pizza turned out quite well with the only difference really being that the base was sweet as a result of the sugar put for the original bread ... but it did not rob from a good Pizza experience. And for those who are interested, it was a thin crust.
1) To find opportunities where others find obstacles.
2) To carry on with hope and positivity where others saw impending and looming failure.
3) To make the best of the situation and use experience and expertise wisely...
These are the coaching lessons my wife once again imparted to me. Thank you Anu Joseph.
In these 21 days of lockdown, find the opportunities that present itself to you. Don't wait for it to scream, "I'm here, I'm here". Actively seek and find it.
Don't be scared about the future, but find the genuine and real vision for your personal self, family and organisation and cling to this with hope and positivity.
Make the best of the situation and use your senses, your experience, and your skills wisely.
All of us will be able to make a sweeter 'Pizza', instead of the plain old bread had the 21-day lockdown not been there.
Tomorrow, though, we may bake bread again.
For today, everyone here has voted "burp" on the Pizza.
The last lesson from this episode is: either too hot or too cold, both states removes the capability of yeast.
If you can actively help therefore, go out and help in these days as mandated by the Government for essential services. If you can't then please, just stay put at home. Both these states will end the Corona Virus threat.
But for heavens sake don't be lukewarm and loll around the place, or decide that you above all else need that exercise and take a solitary walk. If it is a solitary walk, it is only because everyone else is staying at home!!
Be hot, be cold. Don't be lukewarm.