I stood in the kitchen, covered in flour, sugar and butter, with a hint of frustration. My latest baking attempt which was supposed to be a delicious red velvet cake, lay ruined on the counter of the kitchen cabinet.
I sighed, feeling defeated. It was the fourth attempt and it was still a failed one. “Maybe I'm not cut out for baking” I said to myself. I began to clean up the mess in the kitchen wondering why I was not getting it right.
As I was cleaning the mess, my mom walked into the kitchen and was surprised to see everywhere messy.
“What happened here?”
“I was trying to bake some red velvet cake and it was a failed attempt. I don't know what I'm not doing right. I’ve tried several times but I failed.” I said feeling defeated.
My mom chuckled and put her arm around my shoulder. “My dear, you did not do anything wrong, you win some, you lose some. Baking is all about trial and error. Every failed attempt is a step closer to getting it right. It's okay to fail but that does not mean you should give up, keep trying and one day you will get it right.” She encouraged me.
I was relieved with the words of encouragement my mom gave me. I cleaned up the whole place and started measuring out the ingredients and mixing the batter again with the help of my mom.
“You know I failed my first attempt too when I started baking cakes but I did not stop there. I continued practicing because it was all part of the process.”
I looked at her in surprise. “Really?”
“Yes my dear, I learned from those failures rather than successes.” She said smiling.
I thought to myself, maybe I was not a failure after all. I was just getting started. We finished the cake and it was perfect.
With the encouragement I got from my mom, I keep practicing to make sure I perfected it.
One Saturday, after my morning routine, I decided to bake for the whole family because I've been practicing for some weeks.
I measured out the ingredients in their right quantity and started mixing the batter. After mixing, I poured the batter into a pan and put it in my already heated oven. Within a few minutes, I started smiling at the aroma of the cake. The cake was baked and I brought it out of the oven with a smile on my face.
This time, the cake turned out perfect. The cake was moist, fluffy and delicious. I beamed with pride, feeling like I won a lottery.
My mom smiled, giving me a hug. “You see? I told you you could do it. You win some, you lose some, but with practice and patience, you will become a professional.”
“Thank you Mom, I wouldn't have done it without your guidance.”
From that day onwards, I wrote on the tablet of my heart that with determination, practice and patience, I can achieve whatever I set my heart to do.
Thank you all for reading.
Images are mine.