The Blueberry Muffin

 In our COL 100 class, Introduction to the College Experience, students were asked to create a "dream poster" that they could reflect back on as the continue on their college path. Every student had a different way of presenting the way that they see their life heading. One student, Lynn Merrill, took another approach to expressing her dreams.


The Blueberry Muffin

One thing I haven’t accomplished is earning my college degree.  During my younger years I was too busy for that.  My husband and children were my first priority second to my career.  I was fortunate to have a job that paid well and allowed for upward mobility.  At the age of 39, I had to face the fact that my lifestyle needed to change due to blindness.  With determination and resourcefulness, I was able to remain competent and capable at home and work for 6 years after loosing my vision but had to make the difficult decision to retire early due to the blindness.  I immediately immersed myself into raising my 7 grandchildren while their parents worked and realized that I was doing something that was meaningful to the children as well as myself.  Now they are all in school.

Hello world, it’s me, Lynn, and I’m back.  Where do I go from here?  I’m 56 years old, with a relatively successful career behind me.  I’ve ended a 38 year marriage; I’ve raised three children and 7 grandchildren.  I’ve lived overseas and around the United States for 20 years before coming back to my roots in Maine.  I’m 56 years old and still have a long way to go but where?  That college degree is still waiting for me.

The assignment is to make a Dream Poster.  Something we can keep with us during our college career to reflect upon and use as a motivational tool when our determination or confidence wanes.  A poster.  Hmmmmmm, how will I reflect upon a poster?  I can’t see it.  I need something tactile, something I can hold in my hands and reflect upon by touch.  What is my dream?  I’ve never really felt whole and complete because of the absence of that degree.

The blueberry muffin.  In my years, I’ve made hundreds of blueberry muffins.  They are my comfort food.  To me they symbolize family, comfort, gatherings, Americana, and now, my dream of earning a college degree.  The muffin will be my poster.  How can a blueberry muffin represent my dream poster?  It’s easy to understand; just think about the ingredients.

The primary ingredient, flour, represents me.  I am the one most responsible for succeeding in earning that degree.  But just as flour alone does not constitute a blueberry muffin, I alone cannot earn that degree.  There needs to be support.  The sugar, representing my children, grandchildren, sisters, family and friends will add the flavor and sweetness that I will need in order to make the muffin.  It needs to be sweet or it won’t be desirable.  The eggs, the binder, are my volunteer activities to which I will remain committed as they give to me a sense of accomplishment which is a necessary part of my mental health; sound mental health will hold me together.  The salt represents the currency that I will gain after I reach my goal.  The blueberries, and I’ll add a few more than called for in the recipe, are the anti-oxidants that will foster the intelligence I’ll need to succeed.  Let’s top the muffins with some cinnamon crunch topping.  Cinnamon gives me heartburn.  It will represent the difficult times, the sleepless nights, and the stress that I will need to endure in order to enjoy the muffin.  Now I mix all the ingredients carefully and bake for an hour.  Of course, the baking is the semesters upon semesters that I will travel in order to enjoy my whole muffin, my whole person.