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Occasionally, I find myself
purging the refrigerator. A big bowl of cooked noodles and half of a cup
of spaghetti sauce sit in my refrigerator today. My ingredients are
somewhat off-balanced. If I warmed it all up together, the limp noodles
would overcome the small amount of sauce. Who wants to eat leftover
spaghetti anyway?
Over the years, I have
pulled dishes from my refrigerator that had turned a variety of colors.
Green fuzz has grown on things that got shoved to the back and I forgot
that I had cooked in the first place. Why is it that we keep leftovers,
knowing perfectly well we will never eat them?
The bowls will be in our
way for weeks and finally when we become totally frustrated trying to find
a place to put the milk, we will dare to open the container to see what’s
growing inside. We may shout works like “yuk” or “gross.” We may even make
funny gagging sounds before we dump it into the garbage can.
Roy and I don’t have a
great deal of leftovers, simply because we eat out more than we eat at
home. In my opinion, leftovers are another reason that eating out is so
important. I have a sign in the kitchen that reads “Keep this Kitchen
Clean… Eat Out.” I should post one in my refrigerator as well that
says, “Keep this Refrigerator Free of Leftovers… Eat Out.”
We all have funny stories
regarding leftovers. We can probably all remember a time that we found
something that should have been taken to a science lab before it was
tossed away.
I remember how Roy
purchased an eggplant some twenty-five years ago. The second I saw it I
explained to him that I would never cook it. When I was a child my
grandmother fried an eggplant like French fries. I took one bite, thinking
it was my favorite food. Those words and sounds I mentioned above
automatically flew from my mouth. I vowed right then and there I would
never cook an eggplant at my house. I didn’t then; nor have I.
When I talk about a
mother’s legacy being leftovers, however, I’m not referring to the
leftovers in the refrigerator. I am pointing out the nature of a mom. Moms
never eat the prettiest freshly baked chocolate-chip cookie. If there are
seven pieces of pie and eight members of the family, a mother insists she
doesn’t like pie.
Moms usually spend the
clothing allowance for kid’s clothing. She will insist that her torn and
ragged t-shirt is the most comfortable shirt she has ever worn. A mom will
never eat the last ice cream sandwich in the freezer. Nor will she buy
that pretty music box that she has admired for months in the store. That
money could be used on something for the kids.
Many times, when Roy and I
go shopping we will purchase things for him, for our children, and for our
granddaughters. On the way home Roy will say, “You didn’t buy anything for
yourself, Nancy.” I’ll stop to think about it and realize that he is
partly right.
But then I realize that
when I buy things for him, and for my children and grandchildren, I’m
doing it for myself. I get more joy out of buying for them than I do
buying for myself.
All moms are just like me.
Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that a mother’s legacy is
leftovers. A mom only takes that which is left over.
If you can, won’t you
express your appreciation to your mother today? She did without to give
you everything she possibly could. And the only thing she wants in return
is your love. Won’t you tell her you love her today?
Happy Mother’s Day Mom! You
are absolutely the best!
(c) 2007 Nancy B. Gibbs
All Rights Reserved
www.nancybgibbs.co |
