What do you love?

I just made myself a spectacular lunch. The secret is to spread out the work: marketing one day, prep in the morning, then a reheat/wrap up just before you eat. On today's menu was potato leek soup, braised swiss chard with shitake mushrooms, and fresh ravioli with butternut squash filling.

I am considering vanilla ice cream with homemade chocolate sauce and cashews for dessert. Just as soon as I can move.

It's been a wonderful weekend. Last week it was rainy in San Francisco, and I was down for the count with a flu bug. Three days of doing very little in my apartment was remarkably restorative, and I've recovered well enough to make it to the gym today, primarily to use the hot tub and schvitz (steam bath), but got a few laps in there.

It's sunny, crisp, and lovely outside. The Christmas/Hannukah spirit is in the air, and I'm thinking of treating myself to new window shades.

Last night I went to a Shuso ceremony. At the end of a practice period at Zen Center, the head student has a formal stepping ceremony in which everyone asks him or her a question. I asked: "What did you learn as a Shuso that you did not expect to?" Zackery (for that is his name) answered: "I learned I need a lot more care and nurturing that I thought I did."

So it's the time of year to think about that: what sustains us, from the network of farmers, grocers, truckers, laborers who deliver food to our local markets, to the people, places, and activities that humanize us, and bring to each day the possibility of pleasure and real joy.

Another questioner asked the Shuso some heady question about dharma. Zackery replied, "What do you love?" The questioner was caught off guard, looked down in intense concentration, then bunted, replying, "I'm asking the questions here." Everyone laughed.

But it's a good question. What do you love? You can make lists of things: a walk on a fine day, a dear friend, your mother, a new window shade that fits exactly right. Your home, the smell of pine tree boughs in your living room. Cooking beautiful food. But somehow none of these things quite captures the What. Is it life? Being of service? Accomplishing what you feel only you can do? Maybe it's the pep, or verve inside each of us that makes us grasp new experiences, extend our minds to new ideas, open our hearts to people and their intimate thoughts and habits.

Speaking of new experiences, I've discovered Netflix on demand. There had been these "free" hours on my account to "watch instantly", but I'd ignored them. No more. I'm hooked. The first night I watched, amazing, as a Morgan Freeman movie started right when I pushed play on my laptop. Cool! The next night, things got out of hand. Turns out Sense and Sensibility, the British version, is 3.5 hours long. 7 episodes. I couldn't stop. My friend Peggy says Pride and Prejudice is even better -- all 7 hours of it. I can't wait until January.

Get out there and take in some holiday cheer. The lights are out, the decorations festive. If you're not out shopping, you might just have yourself a nice night.
Love to all, in all the towns and cities and treelined streets where you may find yourselves for the holidays.