Meatloaf as a metaphor...

Tonight I had a tasty helping of Meatloaf for dinner. And now as I sit and contemplate, I realize that Meatloaf can be a metaphor for how we think of ourselves. Take the individual parts of meatloaf: ground beef, ketchup, mustard, seasoning, egg, and oatmeal; they are all things that you would not want in mass quantities by themselves. All the items that make up meatloaf are in small amounts and make one finished product. Ground beef - the hearty filling part of the meal which can be seen as the core of what we are, the one thing from which all others will become a part, our identity. Ketchup - sweet but pungent flavor by itself, yet makes so many other things taste much better. This is the part of us that accents the others. This brings our other parts to life. Mustard - bitter and yet bright. This balances well with the sweetness of the ketchup and brings out other accents in the meal. A second accent if you will. The egg - this is what helps bind everything together, culinary glue. This is the part of us that helps us keep our heads above water. It is the thing that brings all our gifts and helps us to use them all together. The oatmeal - the bland, flavorless ingredient. Though it would not taste good to eat a handful of dry oatmeal, the oatmeal in the meatloaf helps absorb the liquids and keep the meatloaf flavorful and juicy. This is our modesty, it keeps us from being boastful but still allows us to have and use all of our gifts to the enjoyment of others.

Meatloaf sometimes gets a bad rap, but no longer from this guy. I would do anything for love, but I won't do that...