Dear World,

Have you ever properly burnt popcorn in a microwave? I have. It happened a few weeks ago.

I bought packets of movie style buttery popcorn from one of the local grocery stores with the intention of gussying up, starting either my favourite movie, Netflix series, or watch the latest about the upcoming US Presidential election or about the worldwide ‘almost pandemic’ Coronavirus.

I pulled the plastic wrapper, put the popcorn pacakge in the microwave. Got my trusty bowl and started the popping process.

I don’t know about you but I barely ever read the instructions. I am a firm beliver in winging it when it comes to food preparation. And, this is especially true when it comes to popping some corn kernels. Like, come on. It’s not rocket science.

You know how not all the kernels will pop in the microwave no matter what you do?

It’s the most annoying experience ever!

I decided, because I’m so smart, to give the process an extra 2 minutes. In total it was about 7 minutes.

I did it in the name of popping all the kernels! Okay?!

Then, I went about my business because, there was no reason to sit and watch corn kernels pop.

I returned to the smell of char. Like, a proper burnt odour. 😅

I was not gonna waste everything so I ate the “good” ones and tried the burnt ones.

The taste was not appetising – at all. I felt like I was eating charcoal. I ate quite a few but then I decided to cease the torture of my tastebu disposed those burnt kernels.

All in all though, my experience burning the popcorn taught me some solid lessons. And, it is through those lessons that I have personified popcorn. I’ve also considered that dreams and the journey are in a way like popcorn.

Bear with me.

Lessons in popping popcorn

1. Sometimes reading directions can be better than just winging it.

This one is plain and simple. Read the instructions provided!

2. Life is kinda like a microwave and we all pop at different rates. Sometimes we pop half way and sometimes we don’t pop at all. That is okay.

With that fact, we must remember that comparison is a thief of joy.

Never compare yourself to someone else’s pop. Our pop percentages and our pop destinies differ.

The paths vary even if our end result may be the same.

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You can’t allow your food or your dreams and ambitions to sit in the microwave for too long to just spin in the same environment. They’re going to burn!

3. Patience is alright and all. But. Sometimes you should purposely stop waiting and eat your damn popcorn. Or, change your popping environment!

Go for those goals and live your dreams. The dreams probably won’t pop on the first or second try and you may burn a certain vision of your dreams by allowing it to stay on the same rotating surface.

Switch it up and kick patience to the curb. If you repeat a process and retrieve the same results, approach it differently.

4. If you smell it burning, take action!

5. Keep an eye, and in some cases, your nose, on your dreams while they pop. The minute something very wrong begins to unfold, take action to rectify.

Over to you.

You have your kernels to pop. Hlw are you gonna approach it?

Signed with love,

The Suburban Girl