space soup under my bed

If you didn't already know, my mom is pretty terrific.   I mean, really.  She's a cut above the rest.  It's not like she sent me to New York with a credit card or pays my rent or buys me designer purses.  Because she gets me.  And she knows I'm not about money and "stuff," just like she never has been.  We both care about the small things, the thoughtful tokens that say, "this made me think of you today" or "I know this silly little thing will make your life a bit easier this week" or "I just love you. THIIIIIIIIIIIIIS much."

What she's really great about is coming through just when you know you need her--or didn't know you need her, but you do.  For instance, even if I feel ridiculous doing it, if I need to, I can call her at 3 in the morning, and she'll be just as happy to hear from me as she would be if it were 3 in the afternoon.  She's also good at knowing how to keep me truckin' when I really slow to a grind.  Like when she visits me and insists on putting $40 on my Starbucks card because she knows sometimes, I'd really benefit from a little caffeine but, often, I can't bring myself to fork over the cash.  

Another classic example is an enormous package I got from her last year.  She'd hosted one of those parties with her lady friends--you know the kind: with the candles or kitchenware or kitschy jewelry... Anyway, this one was about easy-to-prepare meals.  Open the box, add 6 cups of water, heat, and BAM! Instant dinner.  Well, because she hosted the party, she got this enormous prize package of food.  And what did she do?  She had it sent straight to my apartment in Harlem.  So the UPS guy showed up one afternoon with enough food to get me through a small apocalypse (assuming I have access to basics like water...and cream cheese and milk). :/

Admittedly, being the make-it-from-scratch-when-you-can foodie that I am, all this super-prepared, preserved, freeze-dried, dehydrated astronaut food kind of creeped me out.  But without fail, every time I've found myself pinching pennies at the end of the month--or simply too lazy to go to the grocery store--there's something just right in that giant box of food under my bed.  

Tonight, I surveyed the kitchen, only to find I'm down to half a block of aged Gouda, three eggs, some carrots, pasta, and marinara.  There are a few more things, sure, but not much to pull together a passable meal (I already had eggs for breakfast, thank you).  And that's when I remembered the box under my bed!  Success!  After a mental shout-out to Mama, I decided on potato cheddar soup.  Sure, I'd rather make the real thing with whole potatoes and a block of cheese, but this will totally suffice for tonight. Thanks, Mama!

All this to say that there are probably lots of little things your mom--or someone else who loves you--does to make your life a little brighter and less complicated.  Like providing that silly little box of scary-yummy space soup.  So offer up a hug or a thank you, a phone call, or an old-fashioned just-because card to let them know you noticed their little gift to you.  Gratitude makes everyone feel good.  Pass it on. :)

Thanks for reading. Love you all.