Life is Like Beef Stew

One of my favorite parts of winter is making big pots of beef stew. This warm, filling dish is a healing comfort during the cold season. 

Carrots, celery, onions, beef and potatoes are good on their own. When you mix them together with some seasoning and broth, they transform. After some time and a little heat, you create  desirable, flavorful sustenance. 

Like stew ingredients, our experiences are good on their own. But when you consider your days and weeks, you begin to see patterns. It takes awareness to see the transformations that happen in us every season.

Spending time in the heat doesn’t always feel comfortable. I felt the temperature rise this winter when I got my diagnosis. However, my time simmering like a stew can be a great teacher. I learned how to trust my body, persevere through times of struggle and ask for help when I need it. 

Blending our experiences and spending a little time under pressure transforms us. It doesn’t have to be an event or diagnosis to invoke change. We can learn and grow everyday by becoming aware of patterns in our lives and in our reactions. 

We learn and gain wisdom as we simmer in this life. Simply recognizing small comforts, like beef stew, is a gift to the soul.