I’ve been a church employee/choir leader on and off for over thirty years. I love this life-giving work and I’m frequently exhausted by it. Good people coming together to do good things sounds good on paper but the territory comes with its fair share of challenges. Butting heads, all the personalities, lost friendships and a constant mirror to see yourself bringing your own baggage into the mix makes it work that is not for the faint of heart. 

In 2012, I went on hiatus from these choir duties in search of greener pastures. Bags packed, I pointed myself in the direction of managing a yoga studio and yoga teacher training. With it came the hope of smoother sailing and given yoga’s ancient peace-making foundation, I just knew that this time would be oh, so different. (I do remember a bit of unsolicited advice that came in at the time pessimistically warning me that life in a yoga studio would be just as life-y and human-y as life in church). No way.

Well, actually….yes way.

Amidst the beautiful work, there would be heads butting, an array of personalities, lost friendships and another mirror to view me being me. So, here I am years later, back at the helm with the choir, teaching yoga when I can. Truth be told, I’m in a bit of a funk, limping a little (actually, a lot) with the state of the world and the state of my life and the state of my aging body and on and on. But what I have undeniably noticed is that when I create, I feel better. Food, music, art. Anything will do.

Several weeks ago, my granddaughter chose Rainbow Ghosts as her birthday theme. So, I got fancy and made Rainbow Ghost cookies. They were kind of cool. And sweet. And making them lifted my heart. I started making more, got a bit creative and went down the rabbit hole of cookie-decorating reels, YouTube/TikTok videos and the like. Each batch gets a little better. Each batch dumps a little more sweetness in the world. I'm kind of hooked and having fun.

Well, in 2026, the natural course of events when you dive into cookie-decorating (or anything that piques your interest) is that you join Facebook groups dedicated to such topics. I’ve joined a few and I have been so hope-filled by it all. Everyone is beyond generous with their advice, patient with all of the newbie questions and so very encouraging of each other’s work. I’ve felt more optimistic than I have in a while with all the cookie kindness.

Until today.

So, long story short: One of the cookie-making gurus out there (dare I say, THE guru) shares a video of her fancy technique du jour. The result: a cookie in the shape of the United States iced fully in red with “USA” written in white letters. What ensues is cookie mayhem. Some are thrilled with a red country cookie, some are despondent with the absence of blue icing, the insults start flinging faster than the royal icing off their Kitchen Aid blenders and the cookie guru’s all, “Little ole me? I was just standing there minding my business.”

Et tu, cookie community?

Literally, all it took was one cookie and all was revealed. In church, in yoga and even among the sweetest of the sweet, I have learned that heads will butt, personalities will be revealed and there will always be another opportunity to watch myself in action. 

So what did I do? I chuckled a little at the absurdity of it all. I remembered (again) that intention and impact are often two different things. I watched with curiosity at how easily it all unravels and, seriously, how mean we can be with nothing more than an emoji. Over a cookie. And I stayed out of this one. This is progress for me! 

Do what you can, where you are, with what you have. But for better or worse, my dear friends, remember that unless you are cloistered in a cave in Tibet, there will always be heads ready to butt, personalities ablaze. And there will be your work. I wish you creativity, a sturdy mirror, much sweetness and so much love for this arduous journey.

Crystal

rainbow ghosts