Circulating Love
From the outside, it could seem like putting together meals is simply a good deed — an event that good people do with their extra time. But for me, I experience it as an act of self-serving generosity.
H-O-W-L, learning to talk to birds
I didn’t want to immediately disclose that I do bird calls for fun. To connect myself back into this wheel of life that we call nature.
The Troll and the Prince
You are no longer called a troll but a prince of light. You have known sadness, pain and suffering, hate, and destruction. Now you will know the joy of giving yourself to life.
Clam Dip
I find it is a cook’s best friend to serve when you have a group of people cooking together. I have seen it transform a group of people who want to help, but are perhaps tired or overwhelmed by a party. It sparks their energy.
The Eight-Hour Bolognese
My adult sons don’t need me as they once did, and yet the creative energy still seeks for a channel, so I am grateful to our repeat guests, who come back week after week, to help bring the overflow to a healthy balance.
True Freedom
[W]e realize freedom as never before. We discover that we can live happy lives even inside of razor wire fences. Once our vision becomes refined, prison can no longer be prison; it becomes a place of liberation.
Meeting a Jury Member Who Voted for My Death: A talk with Donald Dillbeck, 30 years on death row in Florida
Through our correspondence, I was able to see her as a person rather than a perceived enemy, as it would have been so easy to do for someone in my situation. This whole experience wound up being a blessing that I cherish.
Chapatis
In the south [of India], soup dishes such as dal are mixed with rice to a texture that can be picked up. In the north, you use chapatis to pick up your food. You tear off a piece of chapati by leaning on it with the heel of your right hand and tearing with your fingers.
A Softer World
Knowing that someone sees you, listens to you, and actually cares about you can have a deeply profound effect on a person’s heart. If my heart can be softened and your heart can be softened, then that makes the world that much softer for everyone else.
Happy Fridays in Harlem
Rachael handed me one of her cards and warmly invited me to come for a meal on Friday. I did so and was absolutely amazed to see the sheer dedication, love, and gentle handling of the many hungry people crowding the long tables, eagerly waiting to be fed.
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