Soul Food Sundays

My mother's nest is pretty much empty, which is interesting. My mother and father bought their home approximately 40 years ago in Atlanta. Most of the neighbors have been around the majority of the time as well, so everyone still knows everyone very well. In fact, I am pretty sure my neighbors would whisper to my mother when they caught me acting out of character (which was not very often during my adolescent age). She never let on to me, but that would explain some talks we had that left me wondering, "how the heck did she know I might have done that?"

Our home was the "Kool Aid" house on the block, if you will. Everyone played in our yard, enjoyed my Nintendo, ate our popsicles and absolutely loved my momma! She is the old school, stay at home mom who is certainly called into Motherhood...and she does it so effortlessly. As long as I can recall, it has been a tradition to eat a belly-filling Sunday dinner every week without fail. Momma always cooked through the week while my father was living. Honey, she knew back in the day the way to his heart before any of these self-help books were conceived. After my dad passed, Sundays became extra special to my family. Now, that the nest is empty, Sundays are indeed a secret ingredient in the glue that keeps my family together.

We attend differnet churches and eagerly await the tasty menu every Sunday. I usually eat a very light breakfast (which is mostly a cup of yogurt) and consume H2O for lunch to prepare my belly for Sunday dinner. I come home from my 8:45 church service, take a little nap at my abode, and head to momma's house for the Soul Food dinner. The plates don't normally hit the table until 4:30 or 5, but we gather as early as 2 p.m. for the fellowship. I am sure you all know the movie Soul Food very well. Ironically enough, I am the baby of the family and I truly embody the essence of Bird. You already know I am not all up in the kitchen and no one tries to invite me. I bring some of the entertainment of laughter and always seem to share some crazy story of folks or situations I have encountered from the week.

As the aromas fill the kitchen, we talk and talk and talk as if we have not spoken all week. Keep in mind my sisters, mother and I call each other every day. But, the phone convo pales in comparison to the visible and physical fellowship.

When the dinner is finally ready (it always seems as if I have waited 800 hours due to the hunger pains at that point), we all gather around the table. My mother, my 2 sisters, brother-in-law, niece, and any other guests who decide to drop hold hands as my brother-in-law thanks God for this gathering and for the nourishment set before us. The greens, mac n cheese, chicken, Cornish hens, prime rib, squash casserole, asparagus, black eyed peas (here they are again), yams, cornbread, ribs, cream corn, carrots, green beans, fried okra, sauteed mushrooms, roasted tri-color peppers, new potatoes with parsley, and another other lip smacking food you can think of are ready for consumption!!!

Hmmmm, mmmm, mmm! Lord have mercy! My mother has to be from Heaven because there is no earthly reason anyone should be able to prepare raw food from scratch and throw all this love and feet in it to make me want to smack someone in the face!!!! Whew!

I simply cannot wait for Soul Food Sundays. My friends understand there is no way you can get me away from my mother's dinner table Sunday evenings. There have been exceptions....very rare exceptions. If I have tickets to a Falcons game or...hmmm...well that may be the only reason I would not be at this table that has held hundreds of Sunday dinners. You simply cannot find food like this anywhere expect at this very table!

Please know if I am dating a guy, and he makes it to this table on a Sunday, he must truly be special. In fact I can only remember one guy. Yes, it was the X. I don't allow everyone into this space...into this family ritual. Soul Food Sundays allow for vulnerability, goofy behavior, controversial conversation, confessions to be made, and the room to say any and everything that is not politically correct. If the walls could talk in my momma's kitchen... Some of you know what I am talking about.

I am sitting at this Soul Food table now, smelling all those delicious aromas. I had to let you know what I am experiencing at this very moment. I am closing this out as Teri is wrapping things up...it was her choice to throw down in the kitchen today. Max is at the store getting a Sunday paper with my niece. And Kenny, well Kenny always takes a nap in front of the TV waiting on someone to yell, "Kenny, dinner is ready!" For those of you who are not familiar with Bird, Teri, Max and Kenny, please rent the movie. Your time is way over due!

Happy Sunday and Happy Eating!

Bird