#39 The Adventure to Great Soap & How to find It: Passion Shared, Moments Remembered

A couple of years ago, Maria and Pedro — friends who had invited us into their home — welcomed us for a pottery lesson. What I thought would be a simple introduction to clay on a wheel quickly became so much more.

Mike sat at the wheel, hands covered in wet clay, as Maria guided him patiently. She showed him not just how to shape the clay, but how to move with it, how to feel its rhythm, how to let it teach you something about patience and care. I watched, smiling, as he learned, laughed, and got messy in the most wonderful way. There’s something so quiet and profound about learning from someone who loves what they do — their passion reaches across the table, across the room, and quietly reminds you that the things we care about most are meant to be shared.

And then there was the meal. A Venezuelan lunch, prepared with care and tradition, each bite carrying a story, a memory, a piece of home. It wasn’t just food; it was an invitation, a gesture of generosity, a way of saying, we want to share our life with you. Sitting together, tasting, talking, laughing, it struck me again how sharing your passions — whether through clay or cuisine — connects us in a way that words alone cannot.

That day, I was reminded that the gift of passion is in the sharing. It’s in the way we let our joy and our craft touch others, how we open our hands and our hearts, how we teach, how we invite. And in those moments, learning and giving become inseparable, leaving traces that linger far longer than the clay dries or the meal is finished.

In the end, it’s in sharing our lives — our passions, our creativity, our culture, and our friendships — that the quietest moments leave the deepest marks. A lesson at the wheel, a meal prepared with love, a conversation that lingers long after it’s ended — these are the gifts that remind us what really matters. And when we open ourselves to giving and receiving in this way, we create connections that endure, carrying with them the warmth, care, and joy that make life truly rich.

A shout-out of love and friendship to Pedro & Maria. That day further solidified our friendship in our hearts.