Recipe for a Good Life

Last night I had a wonderful conversation with a good friend. In the course of an hour we both laughed, shared our woes, discussed our creative endeavors and when it was time to say good bye we were in brighter moods -- just as it should be. As we were winding down the evening, she said to me, "If we were neighbors, we would both have messy homes, but beautiful gardens." 

Her words were spontaneous and they resonated. It dawned on me how little we require to create a good life in this world. All we really need are the right ingredients combined together at the right time. Elements as basic as earth and sky; shelter, kinship and food. It is the understanding neighbor across the fence who has a good heart and helping hands. Or a kind soul to share a sunset, from the quiet of the back porch, after a long summer's day. 

It is the people who care enough to be present in our lives year after year, through the joys and the heartaches, whose opinions we grow to trust and count upon that make a good life. We all need people there in the moment with us to make our own recipes work and to prompt us on where our priorities lay. Just like my friend did for me, with her throaty laugh and earnest words, reminding me friends matter, nurtured gardens grow; dust bunnies and dirty dishes will always wait for us.


Lucinda Hodges