I have no new ideas of my own and during the coronavirus pandemic’s initial lockdown stage as I watched my yeast stash slowly diminish I became one of those people who bakes sourdough bread.
In sourdough bread you combine all of the ingredients together into a bowl and then you let the mixture rest for at least a half hour. This is called autolyse. (Here is a great article about it from King Arthur Flour)
Basically autolyse is where the magic happens. It allows the flour to fully hydrate and helps the dough to develop flavor. It also helps to develop the gluten bonds in the dough so that when you begin to knead, if you knead, the time will be greatly reduced.
The other morning as I mixed my ingredients I thought about autolyse.
I thought about my kids.
I thought about people in general.
I thought about how sometimes we have to sit with an idea.
We have to sit with the idea of change.
We have to sit with new ideas before we can add them to our being. Before they can start to change us.
It’s almost like we have to feel around. Try things on. Back away. Reach out. And then embrace our new selves.
Changed.
I give myself a lot of grace during my autolyse stage.
I need to give that same grace to those around me.