Mom Cooked

Mom cooked and set three squares on everyones' table for many decades.  The fact that she cooked very well being indisputable, she possessed the inclination toward dietician, also.  Without credentials as such, she was experienced somehow in providing sustenance to raise up and sustain lean BMI's of less than 15% or so.  Without considering diet, nutrition, body mass index, cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal fitness, the family group carried on activities and interests while Mom managed the physiological wellness of nutrition.

Not a hefty eater herself, she would sychronize kitchen management with dozens of school, work, extra-curricular, church, and household duties; not the least of which was washing, sprinkling, ironing, hanging, and folding all the family's clothes, towels, and sheets everyday.  Yet, by the time the dining table was set, and meals were spread in Johnson' Brothers white everyday pottery serving dishes and platters, she methodically portioned out her own plate with textbook proportions, parting out each food group into "edge of the fork" bite-sized pieces, and consuming one bite at a time, chewing each the nutritionally recommended number of chews.

At the same time, she monitored the menu interest level of the communal feast members, checking the consuming speed, availability of seconds on any item, and offerred and served any requests for additional servings, with the anticipation of homemade baked dessert available at the end of any meal.  Concurrently, she reminded each one, once and again, of acceptable table manners, chewing requirements, and eating speed limits.  No wonder she showed scarce interest in self nuturing.  With so much management and supervision going on for family meals, no one could restore herself well enough during the time before the next meal to  find peace enough to enjoy one of those meals which had been so meticulously executed by herself.  Thereby, with absolute sacrifice of self-need, Mom propelled each one of us to our mandated, chosen, and sometimes preferred tasks which we were free, willing, and able to handle day by day.

One more motherly phenomena which sustained the unit; love's responsibility of action on behalf of benefits for all.  And thanks be to you, Almighty, for the heart of Mother, plus Dad, whose true love of work brought those benefits into the household to be given and shared, triumph for all.

Functional Memoires of Sylvia d.