Mom’s Cooking Lesson

Is cooking hard? 

I glanced at Mom

She laughed

Hands still in motion

Cleaning the utensils

Well, is studying hard?

Sometimes

Then, cooking is hard

Sometimes

But it depends on the 

Attitude

The chef’s mindset

Mom gestured for me

I carefully spooned out

The still boiling dumplings

Fresh and soft

Fragile by the slightest swirl 

Floating placate on top of

The water

Students are the same

Mother patted my hand

I could feel hers against mine

The roughened, and wrinkled skin

Against my soft and smooth ones

If you do something every day 

Will you get bored?

I answered without hesitation,

Of course!

I cook every day, but I’ll let you in on a 

Secret

I leaned in to hear

Make yourself believe you love it

And maybe…

You won’t come to hate it as much