As I turned the corner, I could smell success.
Yeasty.
I could see success.
The curved tops gently rising above the pans were clearly visible even under a towel.
I couldn’t wait. I had to examine success.
I peeled the towel back slowly. Yes, all three are rising nicely.
I decide to wait. They aren’t quite ready to bake. After all, it is only 7 am and dinner is not until 5 pm.
At 9, there is no more time to wait. The oven is preheated. The timer is set.
I smelled success.
I could smell it browning. I could envision the outside gently turning brown as the timer counted down.
The aroma filled the house.
I can envision the sights, smells and even words that will surround eating homemade bread with lasagna and the “spring break kids” later today.
Success in baking.
Success in family gathering.
It was easy to define success. The bread rose. The bread was baked. The bread was sliced. We enjoyed eating it. We laughed and talked all through our dinner.
No grade.
Real life.
When should school be more like LIFE? Joyous? Real expectations?
_______________________________________________________________________________
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this daily forum during the month of March. Check out the writers and readers here.

I love the piece. I can smell the yeasty uncooked bread and the bread cooking in the oven.
Thank you!
That was my goal!
Those very distinct smells!
Well, you had me throughout the entire piece. Homemade bread — so good! The lasagna. Spring break. The family. A joyous occasion. I wish I could have joined you! Yes, real life. Connecting with real life in the classroom as often as possible is so important. Thanks for this reminder.
Thanks, Lynne. It was fun!
There is nothing like the smell of homemade bead baking in the oven. And then the taste…. Because we become more focused on grade as students advance through the system we often forget to just sit back and savor the sweet smell of success that does go on in our classes.
School’s sweet smell of success has become far removed from life. It must be reframed!
And it looks like you served it with something you quilted!! I was not nearly as creative as you this pandemic.
Wonderful piece…the writing and the bread! I thought you were definingin success as sliced bread…but success with family dinner is even better!
Just a bit of a twist.
Family fellowship for the win!