King Arthur! Thank you! How lovely to read these inspiring stories of lives unfolding into fulfillment related to baking. An unexpected gift to start my day.

Immediately Anne Shirley, the main character in the Anne of Green Gables books and films, came to my mind. She was all about growth and the value of diversity in the face of adversity. Anne's first public recognition as the writer she was becoming was winning a writing contest sponsored by Reliable Baking Flour Company. That company and Anne were fictional.

But Clarissa Pinkola Estes Ph.D. and her book Women Who Run With the Wolves are not. That book has been my bible--my recipie book--for decades as I rise above and heal from the effects of chronic low self esteem. Forgiveness of self and others has been required on my journey.

Coming out sounds so much like the process of forgiveness. Level by level, we uncover the layers of our truth. Some steps require setting our work on a shelf to allow the great compassionate healer to work some grace into the dough of our situation. As we go along, we sort out the ingredients of our lives, and put them in more appropriate context and proportion. We measure, level off, fold in, rise above, punch down, put to the heat, over and over, appreciating each presentation for its good qualities, deciding what we will do differently next time to get closer to where we want to go.

How well the language of baking describes the work of coming out and of forgiving. No wonder baking is so healing. Thank you, King Arthur and contributors, for providing light to the soul.

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