Scott Carrino is my idea of a spirit elf, he is my Tai Chi instructor, and a patient and listening kind of teacher (rare in my life) and he is the co-owner of the Round House Bakery and Cafe which opened recently right inside of a former bank lobby on Main Street in Cambridge, N.Y., my town. The Round House serves wonderful food – fresh, healthy, delicious – and has become the soul of the town between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. The cafe is a huge hit, filled a big void, and Scott and his wife Lisa are fending off exhaustion and seeking to have a cafe and a life. They are not there yet, but Scott is ever patient, generous, and open. He is my idea of the strong man – loving, gentle, devoted to peace, committed to a spiritual life, a good friend.

I often write that if women take over, there is hope for the world, I sometimes forget that there are some good and strong men who will be alongside of them helping out. Scott wants to do my Tai Chi lesson on the farm – as if he has nothing else to do – so we can do Tai Chi with the donkeys. We’ll see what the donkeys have to say about it, but I welcome this strong and good man into my life. Spirit elfs are rare.