Twenty years ago, "Like Water for Chocolate" was a popular movie about a young woman--Tita--who was a wonderful cook, and she had the magical ability to infuse whatever she was cooking with the feelings she had when she was preparing the food. On days when she was sad, the sadness went into the food, and guests would cry when they ate. When she was joyful, they felt the joy in what she had cooked.
I love to cook. I had a lot of things to do on this afternoon of "winter mix"--snow and sleet. I did almost none of them and cooked instead. A friend, who has a wonderful Christmas party, has asked me to bring a cake. I set about to test recipes to find one suitable for the occasion and for my seriously chocoholic friend.
When I bake, I get lost in time. I am so connected to what I am doing that everything else drops away. The technical term for what happens is the "flow" state. Those who study such things say that a person in the flow state has developed enough competence that they don't really have to think about what they are doing. My term for it is passion: a deep connection between gift and a love of what I am doing. I think that is probably what happened to Tita, and why her feelings became part of what she cooked.
Being in the flow state is a gift, almost an out-of-body experience. I feel it most of the time when I write or dance with a great partner, as well as when I cook. I've even felt it when I was speaking. To use one's passions and gifts in this way is a responsibility. Surrender totally to a gift and passion transforms one to a truly heaven on earth. Over the last few months, writing this blog has transformed me in the same way, and I am keenly aware how critical being in flow is for my happiness and sense of purpose.
I hope that those, who partake of the fruits of my labor at my friend's party, will feel my passion in each bite. Sharing with them is my gift to her, them, and me.
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