Just as I suspected, after a torturous afternoon trying to make truffles, I decided to give up. I went from dreaming about gifting little packages of these supposedly easy-to-make treats to my friends, to wondering which local farmer I could offer them to for their barnyard.

After an animated Facebook LIVE session about my experience, a friend jokingly commented that she’d love to try one of my “manure truffles.”

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I had a whole blog post written in my mind about the experience, ready to share as soon as I completed the labor of love. But that idea flew out the window the next morning (Monday, December 16, 2024) during my donut-frying shift.

The day began like any other—up before 4:00 AM and heading into the store to start setting up by 4:55 AM. By 7:00 AM(ish), I had fried, infused, decorated, and loaded the trays of donuts into the display case. Dragging buckets of icing around to refill the icing bags for the next day and cleaning up the mess I had made took at least another hour. After that, I moved on to assist the baker and the “cake people,” as I affectionately called them.

That morning felt special because I finally decided to take a selfie in my donut-frying gear—a little affirmation of how much I had come to love this role. After a year of job-shopping and experimenting, I had decided this job was a keeper.

But just as I was tidying up the donut case, my boss called out and asked me to head upstairs for a meeting. Curious, I quickly finished. I had never been called upstairs for a meeting before.

The news came from one of the two locally-admired Saylor’s brothers, who have run this family-owned store since 1977. He announced that the store had been sold to Weis Markets and would close for two weeks during the transition. You can read more about the announcement in this news article.

As I looked around at my coworkers, I could feel the weight of the moment. Many of us had tears in our eyes and fear in our hearts. One long-time employee emotionally thanked the brothers for all they’d done over the years. It was a tender, bittersweet moment.

Sign-up sheets appeared for us to apply to keep our jobs with the new company. There was a lot of fear and grief, made harder by the timing—just a week before Christmas, even though they worked hard to NOT have it happen so close to the holidays.

By evening, I felt despair creeping in. This wasn’t the first time life had thrown me a curveball after I’d worked hard to adapt and find stability. I thought back to my own advice about choosing contentment over resentment, which I had written about just days earlier. Now, I was being tested.

I could wallow in frustration: Why does this always happen to me? But instead, I’m choosing to look for the good. Each day gets a little easier, and sometimes, a little more scary.

This year, I’ve been surprised by how much joy my little kitchen crew has brought me. The teamwork, laughter, and camaraderie have been an unexpected gift during the holidays, making me realize that I haven’t felt this lighthearted in years—even though I’ve always treasured the happiness my annual Portraits of White concerts bring. Perhaps there was more lingering sadness in past holidays than I realized, but this year feels different. Even my failed truffles turned into an opportunity for connection when my boss quickly stepped in to help, lending me a melting pot to fix the chocolate issues.

So here I am again, applying my own advice. I’m choosing contentment over resentment. It’s not easy, but the beauty of having a little work family to face this journey with makes all the difference.

And who knows? Maybe with that melting pot, I’ll finally conquer those truffles.

About Frances Drost

Frances Drost is a singer-songwriter, speaker, and author with a passion for helping others find hope and inspiration through life’s challenges. Her new Barnes & Noble Bestseller, Portraits of White: Hope and Inspiration for Those Who Struggle with the Holidays, weaves together heartfelt stories, music, and personal reflections to guide readers toward a more meaningful and joyful season.

With over two decades of experience in music and storytelling, Frances blends authenticity with artistry, offering relatable insights for anyone navigating grief, loneliness, or the complexities of holiday traditions.

Discover more of Frances’ inspiring journey—and practical tips for overcoming holiday struggles—in Portraits of White, available now wherever books are sold.

P.S. I’m still not selling truffles any time soon. I think I better stick to music and donuts.