Keeping The Secret

Keeping The Secret

This woman's charm radiates not only from her good nature and kind heart. She is also a wonderful cook. The kitchen is a sacred place for her. Every meal is a thanksgiving celebration.

Her family always enjoys the meal time because every food on the table tastes great. They know how she does it, except for one thing, a valuable spice which she claims makes the difference in all her culinary skills. Only the mother knows about the spice. It's her top secret ingredient.

No one has ever touched that jar, except herself.

Everyone knows that when she cooks, she thinks of all the persons' contribution to create a delicious meal - from her husband's daily grind at the rice field, the vendor who sells her favorite vegetables, the butcher who sets aside her choicest cut of meat and the little girl in the market who offers her a pack of garlic, salt and pepper.  She appreciates the work of human hands and the endless goodness of God.

Then one day, the good lady fell seriously ill. She called her family around her deathbed and gave the special jar to them. She instructed them to open it when she's gone.  The lady soon passed away. the family came together, took the special container from the counter and slowly opened it. They found no spice in it, just a small piece of rolled paper.

The father unrolled the paper. He smiled with tears on his eyes. He passed the paper to his children. They too smiled, cried and hugged each other.

On that small piece of paper was scribbled, "WITH LOVE, MAMA"

If only we spice everything we do with love, our life becomes lighter, happier, lovelier. That's the secret. When we keep love in our heart always, we will taste and see the goodness of God and all of creation.