Simmering

Simmering our thoughts is part of the creative process. Sometimes, we just need to be still.

When I worked at a girls’ school in Princeton, the chef made the kind of soups you remember years later. He once told me his grandmother insisted that soup is the most important dish to learn because it grows from attention and care.

I thought about that when I opened an old dog-ear in Rumi: Bridge to the Soul. The page folded toward the poem “Let the Soup Simmer.” The lines I had underlined long ago still feel true:

Let the soup simmer
with the lid on.
Be quiet.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is pause.
Not rush to fix.
Not force clarity.
Just let things settle long enough to understand what you have been creating.

When life feels full, the silence helps you see the adjustments you need. It also helps you notice when something is already working.

If you need support as you sort through what to hold, what to change, and what to give more time, coaching can offer a steady place to think and breathe.