Sanity or Patience: choose one.

Do you ever have one of those moments where you think, "HA! I am sane!" Then you step in dog poo with your bare feet and remember it was your idea to get the puppy...?

Wednesday, October 7

Don't give turtle soup

Do you ever have those moments when you realize something you learned as a child is completely and utterly wrong? Maybe you had an entirely different take on a lesson than how it was meant to come across? Or perhaps it wasn't meant to be a lesson at all and you ran with it anyway?

When I was in, oh, maybe middle school, there was this food drive where we had to bring a canned good to get into a skating party or something like that. I remember my mom, at the very last minute, scavenging through our cupboards.

I had grabbed corn or green beans or something basic like that. She took it, and rummaged around for "something we won't eat." I was a little taken aback, which may explain why it has stuck with me all these years. Aside from wondering why we would even have anything we won't eat, I thought it was weird to give someone else something we wouldn't eat, but whatever, right? I think I ended up taking a can of yams and some cream of mushroom soup.

In my stupid years early twenties, I remember going to the store to purchase some canned goods for a food drive at my job. With my mother's words ringing in the back of my head, and without really thinking about the why's of it, I purposely passed on the corn and green beans and ended up with something like brussel sprouts and turtle soup. Because, you know, I wouldn't eat that.

Fast forward to this morning. I get a reminder about an event this weekend where I'm asked to bring a canned good per person. As I'm deliberating whether I should make a trip to the store or just pull something out of our cabinet, I once again flashback to that evening in the kitchen with my mother. Finally, it hits me.

I probably hadn't told her about needing the canned good until right that instant. She probably had plans to cook those green beans and corn for dinner that week. Something "we won't eat" probably meant "you kids won't eat it." With five mouths to feed and a full time job, she probably hadn't been to the grocery that week and there probably wasn't anything extra to give except for those yams and that mushroom soup - both of which were probably meant for Thanksgiving dinner, and if she had thrown in the marshmallows and French's fried onions I probably would have understood. But she didn't and so I didn't.

So this morning, I'm laughing at just one of those stupid lessons that weren't meant to be taught. I'm in awe of my stupidity today. It's also another reminder to NOT ignore Monsoon when he asks all those "but why's" because if he stops asking, he might end up with notions as ridiculous as mine.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Hahaha. I know what you mean about the stupid lessons and the canned food drives. Guilty of both. I guess the silly notion that stands out for me is thinking that my car doors will automatically lock if I leave the keys in the ignition. My mother had a car (honest to goodness) that did that. So, I'm forever checking and double checking for keys before I close the door. Even though my car's never done it and no car they've owned since has, either.

Grand Pooba said...

Haha! I love it! Kind of reminds me of when I thought that you HAD to put something in the toilet in order for it to flush.

adrienzgirl said...

I think it's cruel and unjust that I had to wait until my boobs and butt started sagging to understand the meaning of life and my mother.

PotterMama said...

I know how that is, my mom did the same thing, and I find myself doing the same too. However, now that im out of the stupid years and i do know better...If I had to give out caned goods, I think i'd skip my cupboards and run to the store & buy something I'd love to eat. Chunky soup? Spaghetti sauce? Chili?
The people on the receiving end would appreciate it more than we'd think. Plus, they probably dont get "good" stuff very often.

Anonymous said...

It's funny when we realize things as adults where the lesson escaped us as a kid.

Sassy Britches said...

This is SO TRUE. And it's as though NOTHING escapes being a lesson. If you realize it and make sure you answer all Monsoons' "why's?", it'll end up being something ELSE that he'll learn that he'll have to forget! :) So, just know you're doing your best, and that's all you can do!

Julia said...

I have one of these things somewhere in my brain but for the life of me cant remember it. But you are so right about answering the WHY's in a way the kids understand. We owe it to the kids. :)