An age-old gesture that we’ve traded for the life we live today is to gather around the fire. What once molded us as species—a ritual where we gather and exchange dreams and stories now seems like(if we’re lucky enough) an act left to remember.

On a windless evening signaling an impending summer in a tropical country, our team found ourselves re-enacting this magic in the comfortable and sheltered warmth of my own home as the team came over to visit.

We started just right before dusk catching the last glimmers of sunlight paired with an orange wine we were tasting and getting to know. As per usual our dearest chef Malja led our little family to prepare and make dinner. To be served that evening was vegetable shabu-shabu with brand bro’s Wilder Satz which reminds us of Buko Pandan. Justin, Vanessa, and Sher immediately followed our chef’s instructions on what to do with the produce. Cut, slice, and tear. Watching them felt like witnessing weavers only this time with vegetables. 

By nightfall, I joined Malja in the kitchen as she prepared the soup made of anchovies and kelp and made three different sumptuous dipping sauces. Meanwhile, I found myself orchestrating the plating of our feast. 

After everything was ready we found ourselves at the table with seating marked in red ink written by Sher. Around the fire we huddled close, drawing warmth and comfort from each other's presence. In the flickering light, laughter and conversation intertwine with the sizzle of food meeting the flame, wine glasses filled.

At the first slurp and bite, we couldn’t help but thank our Chef. Our food was so filling and felt good for our bodies. In the dormant yearning of the recluse caverns of my heart, I found solace in the simple act of sharing a meal with those I hold dear. For in that fleeting moment something stuck to my bones, as we savored the flavors of the bounty of the earth, a glass of wine, and the warmth of the fire, I am reminded of the enduring power of family.

I wonder how we’ll always find the time for fire gatherings and communal food preparation with our busy daily lives but knowing that I’m surrounded by people who still somehow found the magic in the pursuit of sharing stories over a hearty meal and a good bottle of wine, I know that one way or another I’ll find myself enchanted by the fire burning again.

So let me raise my glass to the shared journey that is life and to the simple joys of a family meal shared amidst the speed of things. For in these moments, I found not just sustenance for the body, but nourishment for the soul.

Palagi,
Arabella
Team Some Love