On being a great cook…

 A potato is a potato and lentils, just that, lentils. In the hands of a cook, they become edible, life sustaining. But in the hands of a great cook they touch your soul. The taste, the nutrition, the presentation, the aesthetics of it, the texture; all conspire to make an impact that only fantastic food can make. It literally scratches every itch of fulfillment that one can have. (well almost 😜). There is nothing that we consume and internalize literally and metaphorically as much as we do, food. And great food in all its aforementioned dimensions leaves no sense touched. 

Underlying that experience though are your usual simple ingredients. The vegetable, meat or fish if you are into it, some spices and the flame. All widely available and quite easily attained. Add to that, the recipe. The best chefs have those published and most can be acquired for free. Yet, great food, truly great food, is a rare luxury, unless your Mom is one of them and you are fortunate enough to recognize it. 

So, what is the missing ingredient? Why doesn’t every household, every restaurant, resonate with vibes of with magnificent soul enriching experiences in this regard, all the time. All the ingredients are there, including the recipes. Some households and restaurants clearly do, but not often enough.

I think the missing ingredient is “care”. One needs to care enough to cut the vegetables just right, cook them to the right temperatures, add spices in exact quantities, get the best ones possible, have the right heat, for the exact time and so on. Then, take care to garnish it perfectly, serve it in the right platter etc. There are details to be dealt with and it takes one who truly cares to engage in them to the tee. Mostly it’s not even a function of time. It’s a function of us being present and available to create that experience and to “want” to do it. To draw out the full potential of the moments, of the ingredients, and of them, interacting with each other effectively. It takes a master Conductor to have the Orchestra play the perfect notes in perfect symphony. It takes a cook fully engaged and available to be a good Chef. 

Now, food, even though it may impact you just as strongly as another, may not be your thing. I can understand that. But how about our “Life” itself. Are we using all the ingredients, and taking enough “care” for it to come out just right? Are we taking the raw food of our physicality, spicing it just right with our mental acuity, keeping it on the flames of our emotions just enough to cook it well, but not burn it, and garnishing is perfectly with our kindness and compassion towards others. In other words, are we letting our Intellect, play the orchestra effectively with all the instruments at its disposal. That’s what it is there for, is it not?

Well some of us do and others don’t. 

So why not let the physical play up to its full potential by keeping it healthy. Why not take time to be “present”, to care about our own lives and use the full mental faculties available to us. It’s only then the dish will come out right, you see. Why not use our emotions to enrich the outcome of our lives for everyone. Let’s garnish our lives with compassion and care for people, animals, plants, our planet and the Universe. Let’s not create negative vibrations around us, which is wrong garnish, no matter how good the dish is. 

I am in awe of people who dress to their full potential, who work on their bodies and mind, who engage with the world kindly and without violence of word and deed. We all owe it to ourselves and everyone around us. 

Everyone likes a good dish, you see. Let’s make our’s a little more perfect tomorrow.

A perfectly executed “you” delights everyone more than you know.