Heather Robinson SOME OF the most important lessons we learn in life are the ones from childhood. As children, we sought always to do the things that would make our parents proud. By constantly practising and repeating certain skills, they have become normal and second nature. A quick examination of the life lessons learnt from sewing and baking are instructive.
THE INTRICACIES OF BAKING
Baking requires that the baker first knows 'what are you baking today'. All the requisite ingredients must be available, and if they are not, then workable substitutions must be found. Mixing the ingredients in the correct order, and for the right length of time is essential. Over mixing or under mixing could result in disaster, or perhaps a product that tastes good, but has absolutely no looks or presentation. This explains why we have so many cornmeal puddings that can literally be used to 'stone dawg'. Too much cornmeal and too little coconut milk. It is also the reason we have so many cakes that are flat like pancakes.
These cakes did not 'rise to the occasion', as the rising agents of baking powder or soda were either included in the wrong quantities, or at the wrong time. The size of the cake or 'pudden' pan, oven temperature, and baking time can almost be regarded as the icing on the cake. However, the ultimate tests include the type of cake tester used, and at what time during the baking, as well as how soon after removing the baked item from the oven one seeks to remove it from the cake or 'pudden' pan and have the first slice.
Some baked items are very nice when hot and some must be cool, and in some cases 'the older the better.'
THE SIMILARITIES IN SEWING
Sewing has many similarities to baking. The first step must clearly be, to determine what item is being sewn, and for whom or for what. Fabric and thread are the two essentials, along with a pair of scissors and a tape measure. Some persons use a pattern and others use the free-hand method of cutting. There are dressmakers who can sew without fitting the client, while there are others who have to have the client fit once or twice to achieve near perfection. Some persons who sew do it for relaxation and as a true expression of their creative abilities.
LESSONS FOR LIFE
Life, at times, is no different from a cake or a well fitted skirt. From both the experiences of baking and sewing, we have learnt that we must first establish our objectives. The ingredients or materials that we are exposed to as children will ultimately help to determine whether we are used to stone police stations or become builders of a community and ultimately a country.
Our creative skills help to mould and make us into persons of whom our parents and teachers can be proud. The fabric of our society will be determined by how well we withstand the heat of the oven, and how much time we are willing to spend on the final product, be it cake, 'pudden', skirt, pillow case or table cloth.
As a country, we must begin to speak in one voice about one very important factor. Baking powder is essential to a light, fluffy, plain cake. Thread is essential in the sewing of any garment, as it pieces fabric into one whole. We must, as a people, speak against crime and all criminals.
It is obvious that there are those among us who wish our country to fall flat on its back, and others who would rather seek to piece together the remnants of a 'mashed up' Jamaica. These persons do not wish us, as a people, to become the raising agents of a prosperous and a peaceful Jamaica. Those persons have a plan to rip us into pieces that can only be mended by their hands.
The criminals who murdered senior superintendent Lloyd McDonald on Friday night are members of the group who wish to see us all flat on our backs, ripped and broken into un-mendable pieces.
Today is Ash Wednesday, let us make SSP McDonald's family a promise. On this day we will abstain from silence; from this day forth, we will tell the police what we know.
Heather Robinson is a senior life underwriter, and a former Member of Parliament.
