“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” ~ Anatole France

The Chinese proverb, “better to light one candle than to curse the darkness,” is a lovely and meaningful statement, but I am instinctually much more attracted to Jonathon Carrol’s “You’ve got to kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight.” It should go without saying then that I am not a “surrenderer” by nature – perseverer, creator, warrior, these are much more apt descriptions. “God helps those that help themselves,” that’s me (and Ben Franklin)…

In many ways, it’s a question of trust. Surrendering means giving up control (or the illusion of control, anyway) and allowing ourselves to be lead – not blindly perhaps, but with faith that, no matter how strange or odd or disturbing the path may look, we’re headed in the right direction.

I have lots of faith about certain things… parking spots, for example. I’m always completely confident that I will have a space at the front of the mall even at Christmas… and I always do – love that!

But the things that I struggle with are, of course, the things that are hardest to give up control of. SO much better to analyze every little aspect – OVER analyze, in fact – making minute course corrections as you go – that’s the way to get what you want!

(At least, that’s what my fear tells me – although, given its track record, you think it would keep its opinion to itself. But, NOOOO, like that know-it-all relative we all have, fear is constantly sticking its nose in where it isn’t wanted.)

Now, being a person who very much values balance, dislikes being afraid of anything, and who – intellectually, anyway – understands that we all need to be able to let go and lean, I started actively working on finding an image of Universal Love (God, Goddess, Yaweh, Source, Nature, The All That Is, Bob…. whatever) that would make the idea of letting go more comfortable.

I was an actor at the time, and supporting myself waiting tables (oh, the cliché!) The nightclub that I worked at played some pretty thumpin’ music, heavy bass beats, up tempo dance hits to keep everybody jumpin’. But at the end of the evening, as everyone was starting to filter out, the DJ would always play one slow song.

At this point, one of the bartenders, also a performer, would come out from behind the bar, and the two of us, making use of all those social dance classes they made us take in acting school, would ball room our way through the last number. He was a good strong lead, and I trusted completely that he wasn’t going to drop me on my behind in the muddy alcoholic slop that is the detritus of a busy bar night. No matter how low the dip, or how fast the spin, he was always there to catch me, which meant that I could completely give myself to the music, and just dance with no worry.

In ballroom, there is a metaphor for good dancing. A couple should be like a flower – the man is the stem, the woman the petals. It is the man’s job to provide a strong enough frame and lead for the woman to bloom with grace. If they are successful, the dance transcends its choreography and becomes something more – but it’s all about trust.

My bartender and me – he guided; I flowed; we soared… and people LOVED it. It got to be a thing – people would hang around at the end of the evening just to watch us dance.

And then, one night, as we finished and he pulled me back to my feet, both of us laughing with the joy of it all, I got it…

Bob (Universal Love, Goddess, Yaweh… etc, etc, etc) is the best dance partner you can have. Going with the flow is no more difficult than following a good strong lead on the dance floor. It doesn’t mean that you’re not still doing your part – you have to keep yourself in good shape, strong, and limber. And you have to stay tuned in, connected with your partner, so that you can shift with them in the moment, feeling and sensing the next step before it happens.

But if you do… if you let go, oh, what joy!

Yes, you may be Ginger Rogers dancing backwards in high heels, as frightening as that may seem, but you will be beautiful, and safe, and, while the dips may be thrilling and a little bit scary, you will never be dropped on your behind in the glop….

At least, I’ve come to trust that that is true… and a little bit of faith, and a strong image, can go a long way…

“Dancing faces you towards Heaven, whichever direction you turn.” ~Sweetpea Tyler

“It would be nice if the Food and Drug Administration stopped issuing warnings about toxic substances and just gave me the names of one or two things still safe to eat.” ~Robert Fuoss

We showed Food, Inc., our HHP Movie of the Month, the other night.  For those of you who haven’t seen it, it is an in depth look at where our food comes from and the social and political ramifications of the industry’s growth over the last 60 years.  It is both heartbreaking and infuriating and will have you reading labels and shopping local before its end.

For me, beyond the labels and the farmers’ markets, there were some important ah-has….

The money we spend has power beyond the goods that it may purchase.  Every dollar spent is a vote in favor of a company similar to Tyson or Monsanto, a process like corn or grass fed cattle, or a quality such as organic or whole food.  Just like our vote for President, our food choices should reflect our values, and the only way to know what a company stands for or the consequences of a way of farming is to do our research. Then, not only do we guarantee that we are in alignment with our highest ideals, we send the strongest signal possible – the one that’s felt in the wallet – that we will not tolerate less from the manufacturers.

Sometimes we forget that we are not at the mercy of industry, but are, instead, the creators of the demand that the suppliers clamor to fill.

Each of us has a finite amount of time and energy; we must make choices about how we spend it.  We have our personal causes, the movements we champion and focus our resources on… but there are other principles which hit home.  While we may not be able to devote our time, we can financially support those who can… you can pay with time or you can pay with money.  Ultimately, many small donors can be as effective as one person giving a large amount.

We, as a holistic community, can be a significant voting block.  OUR voices can be heard… and in combination with OUR dollars, we can shape a world that is a reflection of our values and our needs…

We can put our money where our mouths are…

“It is the food which you furnish to your mind that determines the whole character of your life” ~ Emmet Fox

“I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”~ Stephan Grellet

If you are ever fortunate enough to walk anywhere with HHP Founder Kurt Hill, you will quickly realize he knows half the people on the street… and those he doesn’t, he will stop to compliment – on his hat, on her dress, on how happy they look.  People light up, pleased to have been seen.

I once , while riding the Tube in London, told an older man who looked like he might be a barrister, how much I liked his tie.  He looked very surprised and flustered, and he blushed when he thanked me, but when he got off at the next station, he looked back and waved.

A woman I’d never seen before passed me the other day and stopped to tell me that I looked lit up on the inside… I laughed in surprise, but felt delighted… and walked away smiling and a little more bouncy.

There are times when being complimented by a stranger means more than the same words from a loved one.  There is no way to discredit or dismiss a person who has nothing to gain and is not potentially blinded to our faults by familiarity…

The cost of these small gestures is so little, yet it pays back such joyful dividends.  And unlike most investment opportunities, it takes absolutely no time for the good will we spread to return to us.  Watching someone receive and own a compliment, automatically makes us feel uplifted and more cheerful… never mind that getting our heads up out of our own lives and focusing on the broader world can give us a fresh perspective.

It is so easy to sprinkle joy, to touch people’s lives with a little bit of light in the midst of a busy day.  Some of them we may never see again – but others will become familiar to us, smiling when they see us coming, sharing small pieces of news, creating community.

What have we got to lose?

“I have always depended upon the kindness of strangers.” ~ Tennessee Williams, A Street Car Named Desire

“A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sitting in the clouds, I watch the morning sun dance across the lake. Somewhere, out there, there is a break in the cover, and the light pours through to tip the waves in flashing silver…

I think about Love, Universal Love – God, Source, the All That Is, Nature – I think how elusive it seems to be… no tangible proof that there is purpose to all of this, that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts we can sense.

I watch the light, winking like Morse Code, if only I could decode the message… and I think about the Sun, invisible from where I sit, but still reflecting and refracting…

I think about the people who allow me to be part of their healing; I see them shining with their own internal light and I remember the simple, ecstatic joy I feel in response…

And I wonder if this is proof – that, just as the dazzle on the water below me is confirmation that the sun still burns above the gloom, so too the bigger picture is operating beyond the limits of our comprehension, as evidenced by the Truth we see on the faces of those we love…

I watch the light of late afternoon paint the buildings beyond my window in the sepia tones of nostalgia, knowing myself part of something larger, something enduring.

“Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.” ~Rabindranath Tagore

“It [soup] breathes reassurance, it offers consolation; after a weary day it promotes sociability…There is nothing like a bowl of hot soup, it’s wisp of aromatic steam teasing the nostrils into quivering anticipation.” ~ Louis P. DeGouy, Waldorf-Astoria chef

I’ve been making soup… LOTS of soup – sometimes 2 or 3 different varieties at a time. It makes me happy.

The acts of chopping and simmering are somehow in themselves inherently nurturing. The kitchen is warm; the gas stove creates it own calming white noise; everything smells good. It’s the perfect atmosphere in which to transcend. And in the end, there’s something soothing about opening the freezer and seeing the stacks of portion size tupperware all lined up – comfort in portable containers.

Cooking for me is a creative process – I think I’ve followed any given recipe exactly once (if that.) I love feeling safe enough to substitute at will – raisins become dried cranberries, orange juice in place of lemon, apple sauce instead of oil… it’s a little bit like being a mad scientist, letting both my imagination and knowledge run wild.

For the most part it works out; there’s the occasional failure – like the low-fat, gluten free pumpkin scones I made recently which had the consistency and taste of orange play-doh. But the flops tend to make me laugh, and bring me back to the kitchen next time armed with more knowledge and determination to “get it right.”

Oh and when I do… I can’t possibly keep a good thing to myself; I just have to share! …which means that all my loved ones end up with little gifts of tasty pleasure.

It’s a win-win situation for us all… perfectly balanced – at least in my mind. They receive my affection for them in bite size morsels while I get the pleasure and zen of cooking, as well as the opportunity to nurture them in a way that takes nothing away from my own energy.

Ahhh, bliss!

One of my recent experiments, yielded this fabulous recipe for Butternut squash soup… based on the Moosewood Cookbook’s low fat New England Squash Soup, I’ve made some substitutions that make it not only a perfect blend of carbs and protein, but a wonderful, rich, creamy, sweet fall soup… and GUILT FREE!!!

I hope you find comfort in making it, joy in sharing it, and nurturing in consuming it… xoxo

Butternut Squash Soup

1 c diced onions
1 celery stalk chopped
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1 c unsweetened apple juice
1 butternut squash (about 1 lb) – peeled, seeded, cubed
1 sweet potato, diced
3 c of water, or veggie stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 12 oz. package soft tofu
salt & ground black pepper to taste

Combine onions, celery, garlic, and apple juice…. cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, until veggies soften. Add squash, sweet potato, water/stock, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat, and simmer until all veggies are very soft – about 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, blend soft tofu until it is smooth and creamy. Remove soup pot from heat and, working in batches, puree the soup with the tofu in a blender or food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste.

“I think that women just have a primeval instinct to make soup, which they will try to foist on anybody who looks like a likely candidate.”~ Dylan Moran