Harvest America CUES BLOG

I was enjoying my morning power walk on Christmas Eve, taking in the views ever-present in the town I have called my home for more than 40 years. There’s a light dusting of snow on the ground and the crunch under foot of a thin layer of ice crust, the temperature is a balmy 30 degrees – unheard of, this time of year. There is a heavy fog that sits on the ice-covered lake and the scene is a bit surreal. Not many people out this time of day before the big holiday. My ear buds are in as I listen to Bruce Springsteen weave his tale thru a recording of his one-man show on Broadway a few years back. Oh, if I could only be a storyteller of his caliber. I am riveted to his lead into the songs that a generation grew up to, songs of his family, neighbors, growing up in the 60’s, life, love, joy, and disappointment, and the character of America. It is incredible to immerse yourself in – very emotional and relatable in some way to all of us.

Anyway, as I marvel at Springsteen’s story and the stage where he chose to tell it, I began to think how each of us has an opportunity to do the same. Maybe not in front of 20,000 fans with a band of incredible musicians behind us, but a story just as real to us and a stage that we either choose in life or allow life to place us on. My meager skills as a drummer when I was a teenager were never going to provide an opportunity to reach throngs of fans, however I did find a place in the kitchen – a stage of sorts, a vehicle for telling my story just like hundreds of other cooks and chefs with whom I have worked over five decades.

Our stories are being written every minute of every day. Stories that may seem common to some but are the recipe for who we are and who we are meant to become. Springsteen’s stories are not of a life of fame and fortune, and not of unique opportunities that most of us will never experience; his stories are much like ours – tales of everyday people, neighbors, family friends, love, joy, sadness, and even death. They are stories we can all feel comfortable in, thus the reason his songs are so personal and thought provoking. He is a character in those stores with a significant supporting cast. The same is true of each of us.

Relish your part in the story and embrace the other characters who make our stories whole. Everyone we meet, everyone we work with, every friend, family member, teacher, spiritual leader, artist, musician, cook, or restaurant guest contributes and helps each of us to paint the picture of a story complete. We have the power to relish and create a story woven with joy, encouragement, excitement, fear, pain, and uplifting prose if we invest in it with our entire being and tell it with the pride and emotion of Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, James Michener, James Patterson, Joni Mitchell, Steve Jobs, Charlie Trotter, or Tony Bourdain. Our stories are worth living and worth sharing whether we speak to a dozen or throngs of thousands.

The steps we take in our towns and neighborhoods, the time we spend with people we care about, those whom we help and those who help us, the experiences we create and the ones that draw us in, the music we play and the pictures we paint whether on canvas or on a dinner plate are novels of a life well lived if we choose to make it so.

Our stories should never be viewed as having just a beginning and an end – they are woven through those who we connect with, the other characters in our story. A generation will remember the lyrics of Springsteen’s masterful songs and those words will become part of each of their respective stories – part of who they are. As a chef or cook your stories are expressed through food that touches the spirit, fills the stomach, inspires conversation, and warms the soul. It too will become part of the fabric of so many other stories – stories worth telling. View that plate of food in the pass, the food that you created with incredible raw materials, as a chapter in your story – let it speak of who you are and the experiences you continue to be part of.

Find your stage and create your story, write it down and share it with as many people as you can – never underestimate the importance of your place.

So, as I continue my morning walk, breathe in the damp air coming off the lake, and listen to Bruce’s acoustic version of Thunder Road, I realize that we should all be thankful and joyful on this day and many others. Our stories are whom we are, they are vivid, important, and they will live on.

“We all have stories we’re living and telling ourselves.”

-Bruce Springsteen

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

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