Soul Magic – by David McLaughlan

Soul Magic – by David McLaughlan

MEALS OF DESPERATION

A friend and I had been discussing the merits or otherwise of eating dirt!

We’d been talking about the eating habits of modern children and came to the conclusion that children in the old days (us!) were far less fussy. Basically, you ate what was put in front of you or did without. So, you learned to eat it.

The dirt was just a little extra boost to the immune system!

All of which reminded me . . .

My mother, my sister and I had been reminiscing and the talk had turned to food. Sis remembered the pancakes Mum used to make. They would be as big as dinner plates and steaming hot. Mum would fill them with an exotic variety of foodstuffs and roll them up. The mess we made eating them was half the enjoyment.

I’d forgotten about the pancakes but the very thought made my mouth water and my stomach shout for more. My sister and I agreed that those feasts were, without a doubt, the meals against which all other childhood meals were measured.

Mum went silent and looked a little emotional.

When I asked what was up she confessed the pancakes hadn’t been treats. They’d been meals of desperation. When the money had run out and the cupboards were almost empty there would always be a bag of flour somewhere. Going without herself but determined her children would be fed she would whip up the pancakes and fill them with beans or whatever else was left.

Mum told us she’d been ashamed every time she had served those meals, but we never knew. Because what she did was take a hardship and mix it with love. The end result was full bellies, happy children and warm memories even forty years later.

Love feeds us in so many ways – but my favorite way is still with pancakes!

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