Sweet Food for Thought
Something happened last week that really made me stop and think. I want to share it with you.
I was having a lunch time conversation with my 89 year old mother-in-law. She was a child in Kansas during the Depression. She was from a poor family and had four siblings.
Mom has health problems now to the point that she needs full time care. That carer is me.
I learn so much from this woman, she is one of my heroes. We have had many great discussions about her past life experiences. I think I learn something valuable and inspiring every time.
She told me about an uncle that would come to town usually once a year. He had money. At least he had more money than their family ever did. She said that when he would come to visit during the hardest years, he would always buy a one hundred pound bag of flour and one of sugar for them. She said “We were always so happy to get those, because we rarely had sugar. It meant that Mom would make cakes for us once in a while.”
Just at that moment, the variety of decadent cupcakes sitting on the table seemed to jump out at me. Chocolate with chocolate icing, vanilla with vanilla bean icing, and chocolate/chocolate chip. My husband had bought them the night before.
I thought to myself, as I often do after one of her true life stories “Sheesh! I will never complain about anything again!” I really don’t think I am a big whiner, and I have always believed that having a grateful heart is important. I’ll admit though, that moments like that give me an immediate attitude adjustment! I just don’t usually realize how blessed I am. Perhaps spoiled is a better word? Reminders like that are very sweet food for thought! Pun intended.
Recommend0 recommendationsPublished in Senior Chatters
Kaybe, you are a nice person to care for mom in law and find joy in so doing. And gratitude is the most important part of happiness and contentment, so you are quite wise, Thanks for the reminder.
Lovely story of how we take things for granted. It was great of her to share with you, then you in turn to shared with us. I think of how hard it was for my grandmother and my mother and what they had to do to care for their family. They each had large families. We have so many things to be thankful today. I shared with my daughter. who just had a baby, that don’t complain about the cost of diapers… I had to wash cloth diapers out and if she liked she could try that to save money. lol
Yes Kay we take to much for granted and we don’t realize it lovely story
It’s great when older members of the family reminisce with you and you get a feeling of what it was like then. Just because you have cup cakes now doesn’t mean you are spoilt, just greedy(haha). I always try not to compare era’s. There are always items, luxuries, feelings etc, that would or could not relate to other time periods. Enjoy your life while it’s happening and if you get spoiled a little on the way i’m sure you deserve it. xxx Fill us in on any more tales of old Kansas though. I love these stories. Ta for sharing.
Thanks to all for taking time to read my story. and comment. Blinker, you made some good points about not comparing eras. We can’t help when or where we were born, and I agree we should feel free to enjoy the good things in life when we can!