How Do You Butter Your Toast?

When I was little, my mother always made toast the same way. She would put the butter in the middle of the bread and toast it. That is the only way I knew to make toast. All because it was the only place I had ever eaten breakfast.

Then I visited my aunt and cousins in Thomasville, NC. Their house is right in front of a railroad track. That, however, is another story for another day. Anyway, my cousin Annie made breakfast for us each morning when we spent the night. 

It was there that I learned the lesson that things in life could indeed be different. It was there I learned that everyone does not do things the same way. It was there that I tasted what I call "5 star" toast. Not only did Annie put butter in the center of the bread, she also put small pieces of butter on each "corner". So, instead of just getting the butter when you got to the middle, you would get butter with almost every bite. What a treat that was because I love butter! 

That one shift changed the way I looked at toast. So much so that when I grew up, I always made "5 star" toast for my family. Now, my children may look strangely at others who only put butter in the center of the bread. Who knows, they may now make toast the same way for their family.

That simple change, that one shift, taught me to look at things differently. It taught me that people do things differently and that does not have to be a bad thing. If we look at those small differences, we may just learn a thing or two. It may cause us do things differently. It may help us to embrace the difference and make it our own. My toast won't win any contests or cause any major breakthroughs in life. But, for those who love butter, it makes breakfast at my house a treat.