I’d like to share a European folk story about stone soup. A traveler comes across a home in the countryside and would like to get a meal, but he has nothing to offer in exchange. He grabs a stone off the ground, cleans it off and throws it into his pocket.
When he reaches the home he knocks on the door. At first suspicious, they finally let him in after his curious story about making an amazing soup with his magic stone. He fills a pot with water, places it over the fire, adds the stone and brings the water to a boil.
After a few minutes he tastes the soup and tells the family that it needs a little something more, maybe some carrots and onions. After another taste he suggests they add a little sausage, then more vegetables, and finally a dash of salt.
Finally the soup is ready and the traveler shares his soup with the family. Everyone is impressed with the incredible taste of this magical stone soup, and they enjoy a meal and conversation about the travelers adventures.
Of course, the traveler has tricked the family, but there are two messages in this story. The first, good things can happen when you pool your resources together and share a meal with friends and strangers. The second, a meal is really about it’s ingredients. You don’t have to be a chef to make something delicious from the ingredients around you, just a few suggestions and a little curiosity.