When I was first starting to cook, I asked Suzuki Roshi if he had any advice for me. He said, “When you wash the rice, wash the rice. When you cut the carrots, cut the carrots. When you stir the soup, stir the soup.” This sounds sort of simple and obvious, but a lot of the time we go through the motions. We’re not seeing with our eyes, feeling with our hands. We’re thinking about all kinds of things, and we have stuff on our minds. So it’s not so simple. Do what you’re doing. Take care of the ingredients. Take care of the activity. Make it happen. And it’s up to you: No one can take your place. Mom will not show up to handle this for you. The cook is off today.