Bread With Stories

So, our bread stories...😅. But first, let me explain that this bread with story isn't about how to bake bread or, the journey of a bakery shop or, a business plan describing how a bakery grows over time, and so on... No, they really are not about all of these things.. They just happened to be unique and personalized stories around bread!

Well, there is one bakery shop that we used to visit to buy bread. Actually, we have chosen the same bakery place as our most favourite spot to hangout whenever the three of us (me, my mom and my sister) have the time.

But, "Why a bakery shop?".. You asked 😁. This bakery shop has a cozy cafe inside. While sitting and enjoying a light meal, the aroma of bread has always felt like a gentle embrace.., a warm, familiar and full of memory. It drifts through the air long before the loaf is ready, carrying with it the quiet promise of comfort. When I smell bread baking, the world seems to slow down. The scent is rich and earthy, with a sweetness that speaks of home, even if I'm far from it!

So, speaking of our favourite bakery shop in my hometown, it's definitely a lovely spot to talk about all things among the three of us.. Or, even sharing secret! 😆. As for me, it's always something about work. Things about how my daily work looks like and all sorts of happenings to keep me busy all the time! 😬. And, my sister, she always talks about her typical housework routine as a full-time housewife and how playful and cheeky her two daughters are! 😊. Finally, my mom, her stories will be full of memories. She will mention about all things that she remembered in the past such as marriage and family life, bringing a past event, our childhood memories, and how she will always feel grateful to be able to see and greet all of her granddaughters! 😍.

Somehow, it makes me thinking of another one story.. An entire story of a woman's life? 😂..

I think, the bakery shop plays an important part in our lives, because it gives us that special surroundings to enhance the relationships with family and friends by being able to communicate about personal passions and hobbies, being able to talk about life, work, education or health, and to discuss the pursuit of a sense of purpose that can contribute to happiness, well-being and a fulfilling life. I believe, there're many other things that can play an important role in life which contribute to a person's or a situation's overall outcome. So, in our case, it's the bakery shop! 😄.

The smell always reaches me first. The smell of the comforting mix of butter, sugar, and rising dough that slips through the cracks of the bakery's wall and out into the air. It's a scent I've known my whole life, one that feels like a gentle reminder that I belong somewhere.

As I have always loved garlic bread, it will always remind me of "the sweet smell of home". Because, as it baked, a sweet, warm smell drifted through the streets, reminding me of home!

Even now, whenever I pass a bakery, the scent pulls me in. It feels like a reminder of how something so small.., a smell, a moment that can awaken entire worlds of memory and feeling. The aroma of bread is more than just a fragrance; it's the beginning of our stories, the nourishment and the quiet beauty of everyday life.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." - Matthew 26:26

Anyway, bread has long been more than just food. It's a powerful symbol of life, faith and divine providence. Bread represents the sustenance that God provides to humankind and it holds deep spiritual meaning. When Jesus broke bread with His disciples at the Last Supper, He said, "This is my body, which is given for you." From that moment, bread became a symbol of His sacrifice and of God's ongoing presence in the lives of believers through the act of Communion.

Give us this day our daily bread. - Matthew 6:11

Bread also reminds us of our dependence on God for our daily needs. In the Lord's Prayer, the line "Give us this day our daily bread" reflects both physical and spiritual nourishment. It acknowledges that all sustenance, material or spiritual comes from God's grace.

We know that the act of sharing bread connects people, fostering unity and gratitude. When we break bread together, we remember that God's blessings are meant to be shared.

Thus, bread, in its humble simplicity, becomes a sacred reminder of life, love and the divine care that sustains us all 🙏.