“[B]read baking is a thing we do in a crisis. – Emily St. James, How to Bake Bread
Do you remember where you were in 2020 when you realized something big was happening? I do. I wrote a blog post about “Slowing Down” on March 6, 2020 and had no idea what was unfolding, and I remember where I was when I felt a shift. I comment to my kids now that 2020 is one of my “sacred stories” — and yeah, I probably need to get on with making a video about that. No time like the present, right?!
I have some stand-out memories of that spring/summer:
- Social-distancing with my parents and friends in driveways
- Making a “TV, board game, other” evening family activity chart…and then another…and another
- Conducting a legacy film interview wearing a protective face shield, etc.
- Attending my first virtual funeral
- Riding the scooter around the neighborhood in between work and school assignments
- Passing by an empty elementary school one morning, when the parking lot should have been full of cars and the crosswalk full of parents and children.
- Participating in a virtual baby shower for a friend
- Starting a new habit of “commonplace book” journaling that I’ve continued to this day (a whole lot more in those that I’m unsure if/when I’ll share)
I remember feelings too. It was an interesting time.
What are your memories of 2020? I invite you to write them down sometime this week as a way of seeing what you remember and reflecting on and honoring what you may have learned.
I never did get in on the explosive bread-baking trend that year, but it’s a 2020 memory for me nonetheless. I have many friends who discovered the hobby of pandemic baking, and I was intrigued by why so many had picked it up. I was also the recipient of a loaf or two ….and I remember being so grateful for the gifts. Multiply that generosity by thousands. Sales of baking mixes and ingredients rose 25% in 2020 to $8.3 billion according to market researcher Mintel Group. King Arthur Baking Co said they sold more than 156 million pounds of flour in 2020, and all sorts of brands looked to keep the momentum of sales going through campaigns, recipes, and products. Social media feeds filled up with hacks and sales and live videos of perfect loaves coming out of the oven. I wonder how many millions of loaves were made and consumed during that time.
And, of course, I can’t help but think of all the conversations that surrounded those loaves of bread. Families baking together. Deliveries made to loved ones in the form of fresh-baked treats. Sourdough starters being passed neighbor to neighbor, and baking lessons being passed in virtual classes across the miles. New traditions being created and nostalgic recipes being remembered. I think about the thousands of stories that may have been shared in the making, baking, and taking of bread. Loaves of bread becoming more than art and sustenance but symbols of story and connection.
The Mintel Group also surveyed adults about why they started or increased the bread-making practice – 47% said alleviating boredom during the pandemic, 41% said for a fun experience with children, and 39% said relaxation. With new-found time at home, break-baking became a sort of stress-relief and therapy – bringing calm, creativity, and connection to individuals and families. The BBC offered that, even for those in isolation, cooking and baking can invoke feelings of shared experience and social interaction. In a difficult time, this was a bright spot in our collective story, with personal impact for many of us.
Perhaps you made or received bread. Perhaps you are connected to one of the hundreds of public testimonies about the experience. Pandemic bread-making is a positive memory during a dark time for many people, and it’s a useful key to considering how we can face other difficult times in life.
Bread-making is a way to connect to stories. It’s a way to use our creativity and body while we craft our own identity and narrative, and it’s an entry point to story-sharing with others.
If you see or share bread in the coming weeks, talk about a pandemic story that you remember. Share a story of bread or other baked goods you have given or received. Share a memory or a recipe of a favorite food. Talk about a new hobby you picked up when you were feeling lonely or a way you take care of yourself when you are experiencing grief or despair.
Life stories have power to transform simple experiences like making and sharing bread. When we share stories, we leave a legacy. Like moments in time, the bread may disappear rather quickly, but what’s left behind in the memories and stories can be special and lasting. With our stories remembered and shared (in all the unique ways we share them), we can nourish ourselves with hope and feed generations with resilience.