One ingredient makes its way into more drinks than any other. It’s in Collinses, Daiquiris, Sazeracs, and more other cocktails than I can count. I’m talking, of course, about simple syrup.

Many classic cocktails call for a sugar cube muddled in a splash of soda, but pre-made syrups arose as a quick alternative to this technique. I love how versatile this ingredient is, and as the name implies, it’s very easy to make. It requires just two ingredients and only a minute or two of prep. Pour a cup of superfine sugar and a cup of water into a sealed container, and shake repeatedly until the sugar has completely dissolved. That’s it.

If you’re like me though, you may prefer a slightly richer syrup that uses other sugars (such as turbinado, demerara, or other brown sugars), and this will require heat. Simply boil a cup of water, stir in a cup of sugar, and then reduce to a simmer until the sugar has fully dissolved. It’s possible to increase the sugar concentration for an even sweeter syrup, but as most cocktail recipes call for simple, I like to keep the sugar and water at a 1-to-1 ratio. You can also substitute honey or add a whole range of seasonings to your syrup (my favorite being a dash of vanilla extract in a turbinado syrup). There is plenty of room to experiment here, but keep in mind that the simplest syrups fit in the most recipes, so don’t get too carried away.

Regardless of your technique or syrup recipe, make sure you’re storing these in sterilized containers! Syrups have different shelf lives that vary by ingredients, but most will last at least a few weeks to a month before life begins to grow in them. I prefer to keep my syrups in mason jars; they’re relatively cheap, durable, stackable, and candidly, they’re really popular right now.

In this vein of simplicity, I can’t help but think of spiritual matters as well.

Back in high school, my inventory of big words and theological concepts was a major point of pride, and it often fell to my youth minister, Jeff, to make sure my priorities were really in order. I would frequently get into arguments and debates about the Bible, and Jeff would pull me aside and ask a simple question: “Were you acting out of love?” Jeff never said that I was wrong. He never called my views into question. He simply wanted to make sure that I was letting love —not ego— drive my actions.

Moving into adulthood, I’ve tried to let this philosophy govern my behavior.
A simple act of great love can carry more meaning than all the books in the world.
I place more value on serving one cup of coffee to a homeless man
than on my most theologically complex sermon.
My most insightful blog post pales in comparison
to giving a bar patron a listening ear (even if just for five minutes).
I still enjoy the richness of dissecting a passage of scripture and finding the truths buried there,
but I understand that even the most intellectually satisfying exploration
is meaningless without love.
As in the cocktail world,
it’s often the simplest —not the most complex— ingredients
that have the greatest impact.

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, and while people far and wide celebrate romantic love, I want to draw attention to a more general love for those around us and the One who created us. When asked the greatest commandment, Jesus responded that it was to love God and love our neighbors. Paul speaks of all things being useless without love. John devotes an entire letter to exploring the power of love. And Dante writes of love as the force keeping the sun and stars in motion.

Our current social and political climate may seem pretty short on love,
but if you keep your eyes open to it
and commit yourself to living it out,
love has a way of finding you.
It’s that simple.