S'moregasboard

“Do we have the stuff to make s’mores?”

This is always the first thing I want to know when someone even mentions the possibility of a bonfire. No bonfire is complete without a s’more, and they hold an exceptional place in my heart. They're delicious and incredibly versatile.

It’s all about the marshmallow, right? To create an amazing and delicious treat, the marshmallow must be at the right temperature to melt the chocolate just enough. It’s the piece holding the whole thing together, the core of the operation.

Having patience is important when the process cannot be rushed. The color change becomes noticeable, and this is how you know you're doing well. It takes time for the inside of the marshmallow to get to the right temperature to melt, creating the all-important marshmallow goo that makes the whole sandwich what it is. A s'more qualifies as a sandwich, right?

Without the marshmallow, you don't have a s'more. Too hot, and you risk over-melting the chocolate, probably resulting in wearing it. Not hot enough, and you have nothing but a spongy pile of candy. Successfully building a s'more is easy if you can master the marshmallow part.

There are likely to be a lot of failures. It’s just part of the process. Failure is a necessary part of the process and has become something I rely on to tell me what I need to change. Failure is about teaching us what won't work or a symbol of what's not working. I still struggle with perfection, but I've learned that failure is not a rejection; it's a redirection.

Mistakes and failures are simple communication tools. The universe is communicating to us this is not the best option for us, and we should move to something different. The goal is the lesson because it teaches us why it is not the best option. Having the patience to learn from my own mistakes is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. Understanding my mistakes were actually trying to protect me was when everything changed.

What else have I learned from all my own failures? Patience is something we must learn for ourselves. Sometimes, it takes a conscious effort for me to have patience, and I’ve often wondered why others have it naturally. Ironically, my failures have led me to understand why I didn't think patience was something I would ever be able to master; I was raised by an impatient person to be impatient.

Once patience is mastered, we are offered a wide range of opportunities. Getting in sync with the rhythm of our lives makes creating variations much more viable because we learn how the process works. Getting into a rhythm of learning from our mistakes means the whole process flows in our favor as we begin to do things in our lives with intent.

So, next time your impatience is dominating your mood, remember how useful it is for roasting marshmallows, which can open up a world of possible combinations. The patience to roast a marshmallow is the same one that can open a world of options if used properly in our lives.

In the case of a s’more, swapping similar ingredients is all it takes: cookies in place of the graham crackers, different chocolate bars or candy, special toppings, and maybe even some ice cream. It all comes down to how you execute it and how we want our s’more.

What’s on your S’moregasboard?