Last night my nephew cooked for his parents, my wife, daughter and I. We got there a little bit early and watched him prepare his simple meal.
He was in a flow and a rhythm where every utensil, bowl, pot and pan looked in place. There was no mess in the kitchen. Things were open, used and closed without any effort.
Our meal was prepared in about 40 minutes. Complete with a baked vegetable, simple salad, and our main course. Together with a bottle of wine we enjoyed both our meal and our conversation. My nephew looked fresh and pleased by our smiles.
When asked if he cooked often, he answered “yes since college”. He told me he really enjoyed cooking. I know how to cook and enjoy cooking for visitors but not with the level of care and detail I saw in my nephew’s actions.
It reminded me of my writing. Effortless with a rhythm. Never a chore and always making me smile.
Things we love to do, bring us to a heightened level of awareness, of engagement, and a deeper appreciation for detail. Time never gets in the way when doing things we love.
The conflict it provides in our life is how it fits into our responsibilities. Sometimes we are lucky enough that our work aligns with our passion. Other times, our passion and the things we love fall outside of our work life. That’s ok.
Where we need to pay attention is when our work’s content discourages or saddens us. When we have little interest in the work or where our relationships at work degrade and become dysfunctional. This is the time we need to look inside and begin to search for who we really are. Exploring within will reveal new things you never understood.
This clarity will then help you gain more alignment in your life where loving what you do will provide a flow and an energy that you have never experienced before.