I became consciously aware (perhaps unconsciously at 6:30 in the morning) that everything is an ingredient and that the quality and variety of these ingredients is instrumental in our own pleasures and successes. The early morning sun was breaking through low lying clouds as I began my bi-weekly ritual of arranging flowers. The crisp air and pointing light accented the shapes and colors of the flowers I had to work with. The natural beauty of the flowers along with the clarity provided by the morning light struck a chord which resonated within me. While everything is an ingredient, it is how and what you end up doing with them that defines you.