cookies, dumplings, and purpose
Some days are for catching up on rest. Others are for the kind of work that never shows up on a performance review but builds something deeper—family, community, legacy. This weekend was the latter.
We started the morning at 501 Stanyon, home base for the San Francisco Rec and Park crew. They’re the people who keep the city’s green spaces alive—trimming, cleaning, repairing, often without thanks. You don’t notice their work until something breaks, which is exactly why they deserve recognition. We brought a pastry box from Victoria’s in North Beach and dropped it off as a small thank you. It wasn’t much, but sometimes cookies say what words can’t: we see you, we’re grateful.
From there, we shifted gears to family. My in-laws are in their 80s. Slower pace. Strong opinions. A lot of stories that don’t always line up with the facts. But age earns the right to wander and wonder, so we brought them to the Conservatory of Flowers. They stopped at every corner, asked “Why is it so humid?” more times than I could count, and I just smiled. Because honoring your elders—patience, presence, respect—is part of the work too.
By midday we were running low on energy, so we made a tactical stop at Xiao Long Bao on Clement Street. Chicken dumplings and pork-and-bok choy buns for ten bucks, crisp and steaming on the tray. Cash only if it’s under twenty, and don’t stall at the counter—they move fast, and you need to be ready. I respect that. A place that values efficiency and delivers real flavor is rare.
The rest of the day was for my wife and kids. She needed rest, so I took the kids to the park and then to the library. We ran, we read, we shared snacks. No screens, no rush, just small moments that add up to something bigger. Later I carried my youngest inside, laid him next to my wife, and watched them both fall asleep within minutes. That’s the scoreboard that matters.
It struck me that none of this was “productive” in the way most people measure it. There were no metrics, no meetings, no accolades. But there was service: to the city, to my family, to my principles. The world will always have broken systems, insecure bosses, and organizations obsessed with the wrong details. You can either get lost in that noise, or you can align yourself with purpose.
For me, this weekend was a reminder. You don’t need approval when you’re living for something higher. You just need energy, awareness, and maybe a good dumpling plug.