Musings on Soup

Do you remember a service in October titled Minestrone Ministry? In it, Rev. Millie compared the components of minestrone soup coming together to make something delicious, to shared ministry. We are all “in the soup” together.

Indulge me, if you will, as I delve further into the wonders of soup.

There was a time when I would say, with tongue in cheek, “making soup is a spiritual practice”. I was joking, but I knew there was more.

I love to cook. I love to read about cooking, love to talk about food, love to eat. Cooking brings me pleasure, but I enjoy it much less when I am in a rush, when my family is already hungry, and I don’t know what’s for dinner.

Like many of you, the speed of my life is usually faster than I would like it to be. I do make choices in a conscious attempt to slow the pace, to step back ever so slightly from the hyper-scheduled lifestyle that seems to be “the norm” for North American culture these days. But fast-paced it remains.

Making soup, or any meal that takes some time to prepare, forces me to slow down. My favorite knife in hand, I chop. I sauté. I centre myself. I pay attention. I stir. I wait. I inhale deeply. I open myself and am mindful.

Sometimes I am alone in my kitchen, in silence; other times I’m amid the bustle of family life, with Glee songs blasting. I have done this enough that I reach the same place regardless of the surrounding details. Making soup calms and replenishes me. It unlocks my creativity. I feel like I am honouring my body and loving my family, through my soup. I am, indeed, nourished.

At this point some of you are thinking, “um, it’s just soup, Andrea”. Sure it’s just soup, and that’s kind of the point! And meditating is just sitting, yoga is just stretching, praying is just thinking, and a gratitude journal is just writing. A spiritual practice can be simple, and might just be meaningless to others. What counts is whether it is transformative for you.

You may have your own version of soup already in your life. Honour it, even if it’s just to yourself, and do it as often as you can.

Happy New Year!
Love, Andrea