[2022-02-11] Youthful inspiration
I've watched all seasons of The Great British Bake Off and The Great Canadian Baking Show available to me. These two shows were my go-to distraction during radiation treatments.
A few days ago, I started watching Junior Bake Off, the spinoff of the British show, featuring kids between 9 and 15 (or 9 and 12, depending on the season).
Junior Bake Off is fascinating, humorous and heartwarming. Some of the youth are amazingly talented, much more so than I was at their age, or even at my current age. They love to laugh and are comfortable being themselves. And they are incredibly generous to one another.
I was struck today by how kind they are to their competitors. If one young person finishes their bake before the time is up, they will ask if anyone needs help. They encourage each other, for example, spurring a fellow contestant to keep going when they feel like giving up. They cheer each other when competitors get positive comments from the judges. They hate leaving the baking tent because of the friends they have made.
While this same kind of support is evident among the adults on the British and Canadian baking shows, the older competitors seem more in their heads, while the younger competitors are all heart.
Watching the kids is inspiring. They're often resilient—determined not to let one bad bake affect their performance in the next one. They're free spirited—showing their authentic selves to the cameras and each other. They're imaginative—dreaming up ambitious creations that reflect their personalities.
It's just the sort of show I need to watch right now. It reminds me that no matter what is going on in my world or the world, there is always kindness, generosity and authenticity to be found.
