“It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living.” ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

I was touched today by something I saw while at the bank. When I walked into the bank, I saw a few people in line and no bank tellers to be found except the one occupied with a young man opening up an account. In this line was an old lady. When her time finally came, she made her small steps to the counter. Her transaction was handled in seconds and she turned to go. As she made her way toward the door, a lady stepped out of line that had grown behind her, walked to the door and opened it for the little old lady, then proceeding to the next door to open that one. She smiled at the old lady and said, “Sometimes these doors are so heavy.” “Thank you,” followed and the most appreciative smile. When the lady returned to the line, it had closed up at her spot. She didn’t say anything. Her expression never changed. When she reached the teller, she gave a friendly hello and proceeded with her transaction.

I don’t know why but witnessing this small kindness changed my entire mood. I was instantly happy the way you are when the sun shines after a day of rain. These small acts of kindness matter. In this world we can’t help but to see daily in the news or in mouths of friends and family the sad things of life. They can feel overwhelming at times. These small acts of kindness are witnesses to capacity of love that dwells in each of us. When I see these things, I see them as kindling that keeps the fire burning.

We all have our own ways to show love and one of mine is through the food I prepare. This little dish takes some time but is so worth it. This is Rigatoni con Polpettine (with Meatballs). It is from the Silver Spoon Cookbook.

Ingredients

1 lb ground meat
1 sprig fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
All-purpose flour, for dusting
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1 ¾ cups strained tomatoes
12 ounces rigatoni
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Combine ground meat, parsley, and garlic in a bowl.

Stir in the egg and season with salt and pepper.
Shape the mixture into small meatballs, dust with flour, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion, celery, carrot and rosemary and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.

Add the meatballs and increase the heat to medium.

Cook until the meatballs are lightly browned, then add the tomatoes and season with salt.
Lower the heat, cover, and simmer stirring occasionally for about 40 minutes.
Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, then drain and pour into the pan with the meatballs.

Mix well and heat through for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

Enjoy!