
Every once in a while I throw something together quickly in the kitchen without really giving it much thought and a new favorite is created.
That is what happened today. I made a delightfully creamy potato soup with crispy bacon bits along with steamed spinach and kale swirled in to add texture and color.
On a cold rainy day in Northern California this soup was the creamy warm comfort I needed. I paired it with some soft french bread slathered with sweet creamy butter. Sometimes the best surprises in life start out as an unexpected twist or turn in the road. If I had not decided to forge ahead with my desire to make a creamy potato soup despite the obstacle that one of my favorite key ingredients to the soup I have come to love was absent I would not have created a soup that had me nearly licking the bowl. Luckily I had some french bread to wipe the bowl clean so I could appear somewhat civilized while dining at my desk.
Reflecting on my empty yet somewhat pristine bowl I realize that my soup adventure is a metaphor for my life. It's wonderful to have a goal or a mission, such as making potato soup, but being able to deviate from your plan when circumstance change and make the best with the opportunities that are readily available will yield a life that exceeds your wildest expectations.
So, next time I am frustrated at the obstacles before me I will remember the valuable lesson I learned from a quietly unassuming bowl of soup.