The Beauty of Enough

How much is enough?  Such a fascinating way to measure things, especially with regards to food, using a broad word that is subject to interpretation of any who choose to measure the amount.  What is enough for me might be too much for others and not enough for some, or vice versa with a twist.  In cooking this question is imperative to address when creating new dishes, menus, or multi-course dinners.  This also extends to working as a chef, such as:  ordering the product, scheduling staff, providing discipline, commending employees,  accountability with purveyors, communicating with guests, and maintaining healthy relationships with other chefs in a community.  This requires a tremendous sense of balance to determine how much is enough for all of the above situations.  Even as an operator/owner of a business the question constantly arises, worthy only of a few moments to consider, decisions constantly being made that will ultimately affect and define the measure of enough and how much is applied.  I feel like I could just keep going and going with this one; however, would that be enough or too much?

Will there ever be enough?  I seem to be full of questions tonight.  Another great way to ponder how much is enough, based on what supply exists.  How applicable this question is also relating to food, cooking, operating, etc..  Honestly, though, will there ever be enough time to complete everything in balance?  I certainly do not have the answers, nor am I seeking them.  I'm merely working on balancing what I feel is most important regarding the amounts I currently use to create my masterpiece of a dish.  This definitely applies to life also and it seems to be the situations in work that remind me of how to measure my own personal growth.

This brings me to the title of this thread.  While practicing yoga tonight for the first time since my last post and since the Restaurant has opened, which was last Thursday (so much for yoga everyday in June) , I became aware of the the beauty of enough.  In reflection, though, I feel like I am practicing enough.  The number of hours I have been working are dwarfing the number of hours spent doing anything else outside of work.  But getting on my mat tonight reminded me of a few things.  And the lesson learned was the beauty of enough.  Not too much, or not too little, just enough.  The word in Sanskrit for this is alankara.  Something is beautiful when it is just enough.  Kara is doing and alan is enough.  Combine these two and you have aesthetically pleasing beauty to fulfill any measure of what enough may constitute.  So I am presently happy with my energy being contributed to the challenge of work, since that takes precedence after a long hiatus of operating the Restaurant, while serving guests with dedication and passion.  And we have had a fantastic beginning to the season, a positive sign of things to come.  This has been the busiest June we have seen, by far, in as long as I can remember.  It has actually caught us all by surprise.  Still the yoga practice is as refreshing as indulging in a cinnamon flavored soda on hot day, cooling and heating my core at the same time, a spicy delight to ultimately satisfy my spirit- somewhere in between the space of body and mind, a fulfillment of balance to provide just enough sweetness and delight.  What?  You don't drink cinnamon soda?  Well why not?  Its fairly easy to make your own.  (I don't actually drink it either, but it sounds delicious and the analogy fits!)

Running is also on the back burner for now.  A more consistent and steady practice of both yoga and running is the recipe of balance I am working towards.  I am convinced all of my work in these areas throughout the off season will greatly assist with developing a routine of incorporating these two magnificent activities with regularity once again.  But its late tonight and our fund raising dinner for the St. Bernard Project is tomorrow.  So my work is cut out for me again to contribute another 12 plus hour day on my feet.  I imagine I will surpass 80 hours this week.  That is a long time to be at work, probably too much for most, yet just enough for what the Restaurant requires at this stage.  Of course, its beautiful right now, if this continues, it will be too much, but for right now, its just enough..