Stone Soup

I had a meditation where Jesus was in my cottage by the lake (my favorite internal spot for meditation within my mind's eye) and Jesus/Yeshua was there. He sat me down and even though I protested- He made me soup. I watched him take carrots and celery and onions and dice them with care. Adding Salt Pepper and other ingredients with love. And, he asked that I eat. I was uncomfortable supping with this ascended master, not feeling worthy to sit at his table. But, he reassured me I was worthy.

And I ate the soup…and it was good.

But then my meditation was over …and I couldn’t stop thinking about why that mattered- why in meditation would I eat soup with Yeshua?

Soup nourishes your soul on a cold winter day here in New Hampshire for that I can attest. But what was the message or meaning behind this? And, like all of life’s most complicated questions, their answers tend to come in quiet restful moments, happiness and stillness. While reading books with my children, I was reminded of the story I used to read called “Stone Soup”… Aha, I thought: I think Spirituality is like the fable of Stone soup.

A traveler comes to a village, carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food stores with the very hungry traveler. Then the traveler goes to a stream and fills the pot with water, drops a large stone in it, and places it over a fire. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing. The traveler answers that they are making "stone soup”, which tastes wonderful and which they would be delighted to share with the villager, although it still needs a little bit of garnish, which they are missing, to improve the flavor.

The villager, who anticipates enjoying a share of the soup, does not mind parting with a few carrots, so these are added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the traveler again mentions their stone soup which has not yet reached its full potential. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient, like potatoes, onions, cabbages, peas, celery, tomatoes, sweet corn,meats: sausage, beef, chicken, milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Finally, the stone is removed from the pot, and a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by traveler and villagers alike. Although the traveler tricked the villagers into sharing their food with them, together they successfully transformed it into a tasty meal to share with the donors.

Who am I? I am a daughter, Mother, Sister, Wife, Employee, Entrepreneur, an artist, an actor, director, improviser, event planner, a Reiki Master, Teaching Artist and here I am today.

But, what does it all mean?

I have done so much in my life, and all seems to random. But is it? My guides keep reassuring me that I am exactly where I am meant to be. And luckily my faith and Spirituality allows me to trust that( Although begrudgingly at times- Wasn’t I suppose to have this big Grandiose Life?. I wanted to be famous! I wanted to change the world!. And, here I am in a small sleepy town of less than 5,000 people in New Hampshire, USA.

What is this life? And, What is Spirituality?!

Well first of all Spirituality is a science, a philosophy and also a religion. All are welcome- Buddists, Jehova Witness’s, Catholics, Hindus, Sikhs, Pentecostals, Pagans, Quaker, Muslim, You name it all are welcome…Spirituality is a broad concept of a belief in something beyond the self. It strives to answer questions about the meaning of life, how people are connected to each other, truths about the universe, and other mysteries of human existence. What we believe is quite simple: Do no harm and take personal responsibility for your own faith, and your own spiritual journey. And if you are here or watching online: I am sure your faith has been a journey, your seeking, all leading you to the now moment. And, I want you to know - you are in the right place, on the right path and everything is as it is meant to be. Whatever happened to you, the experiences good bad or indifferent brought you to this very NOW moment in space and time. I am happy you are here. I am happy I am here.

Thank you for seeking, for searching and for asking questions. Because I too am a seeker, searching and always have and always will be asking questions.

As a child I grew up as a Jehova Witness. I asked a lot of questions about God and never found my Mothers reply satisfactory. Once when I was young and feeling oh, so frustrated by the answers she was giving me about God...she said in exasperation "I don't know Paige- Faith is a mystery and you have to find God on your own- I can't do it for you!".

Wisest words ever spoke.

So like the travelers in this story, I set off to find God. I was the stone, My cauldron: my childhood teachings and questions... And as a seeker I filled my cauldron with a mission to know God and went traveling….

I would sneak into the Catholic Church (carrot) near my elementary school to watch the stained glass windows and talk with Mother Mary and the Angels. It was a place of peace and in its cathedral of silence filled aromas and stained glass and I added these ingredients to my cauldron. As a child I was told Catholics were evil, bad and sinners. Yet how could people be evil. Weren’t they just seekers like myself? We are all seeking God. Just doing it in other ways. And, I wanted to understand the different paths. I wanted to find the thread of truth. I would ask friends in school if their family went to church and if I slept over could I join them? An elementary school child on a spiritual quest to find GOD. I went to synagogue (potato), baptist churches (onions), quaker churches (Cabbages), pentecostal churches (peas). In High School I met a Pagan who invited me into her Mother's Coven (celery). In College I was a Psychology major (tomatoes) and studied Transcendental Psychology (sweet corn) and in the study abroad program my last semester, I went to London to live near the sacred sites of England and feel the energy of my druidic calling (milk).

There I talked to everyone about God and faith and life... My best friend and roommate Rhadika was from India and taught me about Sanskrit and The Hindu faith. My friends Shino and Kayo were Buddahist and they too taught me of their faith traditions- I even participated in a tea ceremony. I also met Evangelicals from Africa whose look on Christ and faith was so different from our American Christian points of view and teaching.

These were the conversations of meat, of substance my soul had always craved. I continue my quest for GOD. It is a lifelong path…

I love life and all of its flavors, even the bitter ones because they make you appreciate the sweet.

I fell in love with my husband because of our conversations about God…conversation rich and in depth and ever so complex. His faith and deep wisdom was delicious! We are married and raising our children in the faith based traditions of our ancestors, and adding all the ingredients we can to a base of tradition and heritage.

All my life, a collector or stories….of faith journey’s of learning how others have used their heart as their compass and what wisdom they have to share. Am I making the right choice and raising my children this way? I don't know. I am doing what I feel to be right at this time...

I often hear people talk about their childhood faith as flawed or imperfect with great hesitation and sometimes anger. But what if your parents just passed down a recipe, and were doing the best they could. What if instead of judging them, we forgave them and acknowledged they were doing the best they had with the ingredients they had in their cupboard at that time.

You don’t have to make the soup and eat it every day, but there may be some ingredients that you will keep and add to your own soup of life. Not everyone’s recipe will work for everyone. Some like the recipe of their grandparents and parents and keep it exact, never changing a thing. That is okay. That soup works for them.

Some are exact and measure everything, others add a little here and there. Some use the same ingredients, some may add in a few new spices from travels along the way. This life is YOUR soup! So, don’t eat a soup that is bitter. Start over if you want. Try new cook books. Make a new recipe. If you want, Make Grandmas soup once a year. Make your own stew. Share it with travelers and villagers alike. Weave in all the life lessons you have and take what works (it is okay to discard the inedible parts).

Seeking and meeting new people and learning their stories is the meat and potatoes of my life. I seek others who seek. I find us all fascinating and marvelous and wise. I want to know about you- about your faith and sup at your table of wisdom.

My cauldron is full and flavorful, Thank you for the ingredients you have added to my soup today… And . I will still see and taste and learn more every day from now until my last breath. Because that is who I am.

I am that same girl of 9 always looking o find God and understand the divine in deeper ways. I do not choose to cast off my Mother’s faith traditions or my Fathers but I take what is right and rich and flavorful and keep it close to my heart. For the one thing I have learned along the way so far is that Love and understanding is always the base for the best recipes.

Today I add an ingredient for all of you - trust. Trust that your path, every part of it, was a Key ingredient that was meant for you. The best soups simmer so the flavors combine and deepen over time making a simple flavor more complex with time. .Life is about simmering and marrying flavors, joys and experience. Everything is an ingredient. If you are lost today- know you are not alone- Our soup is yours, come sit at the table with us and let’s share…

The people here, could you close your eyes and add wisdom into this cauldron: Those online, add your comments and share it with us: What ingredient would you like to add to our stew for today- to nourish the souls of everyone here in person or spirit?

Thank you..

--Maybe the point is that we are perfect exactly the way we are, and that our path here has been perfect all along– even in its imperfections because it was those lessons that we learned and those fires we walked through that have created the beauty of whom I see and feel before me today. And, you are all beautiful lights. And, life is delicious! So ea up and Enjoy! Laugh, Play, Sing Dance and SHARE your light with the world! We need it!