I’m sure that most of the ladies have heard of the Amish Friendship Bread. Someone gives you a starter dough and for the next ten days you tend to this brew like a mother hen. Some days you just roll and punch the sealed plastic bag while on other days you add ingredients and roll and twist the bag vigorously. At the end of this gestation period you are able to bake some bread, divide the remaining starter dough amongst friends and begin the cycle all over again. This bread is so good it’s a dieter’s nightmare. And this brings me to this month’s column on creating friendships at PLWP.

We all begin in the starter stage. Gingerly checking each other out. Sharing ideas. Finding out what makes each other tick. Like the Amish starter you have to treat the relationship cautiously and with attention in order for growth to take place. Over time and with care some relationships grow into true friendship. If not handled properly, the starter dough will fail just as friendships fail without care, understanding and love. And if you’re a first time baker this type of recipe can be scary. A lot of time and ingredients can be wasted on a mistake. So too is the story of lost friendships.

I think I could do better with my starter dough. How about you? We continually have new members joining or maybe we can take a look at the membership list and email a person and introduce ourselves. Can any of us “parkies” have too many friends to rely on for support? Can you afford a little time to create your own starter friendship dough? Can you offer a cup of care and concern? If we can walk through this life with just one good friend beside us then we are blessed. Imagine the fulfillment when two or more can call us “friend”.

The broken cookie side of this message is when friendships ends. Sometimes we all reach a point when relationships gently slip away from inattention. Other times they just plain fail through misunderstanding no matter how much love and care is given to them.

Friendship

I came to PLWP alone and afraid
The diagnosis of PD by the doctor was made

Fear was wiped away with a recipe for Amish Bread
To answer my questions of what was possibly ahead

Members cultivated, cared and tended to my needs
And together the friendships grew through action and deeds

This recipe for Friendship bread will not fail
If we remember to look, love and listen to the recipe’s every detail.

Good luck with your Amish Bread recipe!

Let us drink from the friendship cup
Goodbye for now and joy be with you all
Till next month, Carolyn

cmgcmggambino@yahoo.com