Where it all began…

I grew up working with my dad in the summers – he owned a bread route and delivered bread, pre-packaged cakes and pastries and pizza crust to grocery stores. As a young child I’d wake up at 3am and go to work with my dad in the summers. He trained me to help him with small tasks at first and by the time I was in high school I was able to cut a couple hours off his day. For years that was my summer job – my dad paid me to help him with his bread route. Not a super conventional childhood, huh? But I can look back and see how valuable that time was for my growth as a human.

We’d pull up to a stop, Dad would tell me what date(s) to pull because they were considered “stales” and I’d go in, pull it all and organize it in bread trays and he’d come behind me and enter it all in his handheld computer. When we’d get back to the truck he’d hand over the computer, I’d jump in the truck and hook it up and start printing the order while Dad pulled the dollies off the truck and got ready to pull the order. I’d then read off each line, expediting the process immensely.

Once we were back in the store with the new order we’d split the load and get it done fast. Then, off we’d go to the next store. To this day I walk at a super-fast speed because as a child I had to keep up with my dad as he went through the grocery stores.

It’s kind of crazy to think back to those memories, some of the best of my childhood, honestly, and then to see where my passions lie today. I thrive on efficiency, helping others  and hard work. All of those have a direct correlation to my “bread days” as I refer to them.

I am thankful for a dad who let his little girl tag along when I was much too young to be doing so (especially in today’s world – I don’t think it would fly to have your young child working a bread route in 2020). I am thankful that the importance of hard work was instilled in me as a child. I am thankful that my heart feels fullest when I am helping others.

It’s helpful sometimes to think back to your childhood so you can see what helped to shape you into the person you are now. I know for me, it’s brought a new appreciation for how I was challenged from a young age.