The Old Green Pot: Memories of My Mother by Lisa Beasley
I am the first to admit I get attached to things. If it weren’t for the fact I hate clutter, I’d be a classic hoarder in every sense of the word. (Not the trash kind though…..that’s just nasty.) I even get attached to my cars and hate to sell them when they get old. To me things represent memories. I cherish memories. I hold them close and relive them as if in doing so I can stop time from marching relentlessly forward. Here are some memories of mother.
To most looking at this picture, this is just a green pot: old and outdated. To me, however, it represents so much more. It is one of the last pieces of original cookware my parents bought in the 1960’s. My mom used it all the time. It is the pot that cooked homemade soups and stews that warmed me as a child. Nana’s macaroni and cheese was cooked in it countless times, a favorite dish requested on visits to her house. Mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving and again at Christmas…..you get it…..the list goes on and on.
Sadly, this pot is now at my house. I couldn’t bare to put it in the estate sale with her other things. It is my favorite pot. Last night I made popcorn in it for a family viewing of The Passion, and I was reminded of the countless Miss America Pageants accompanied with popcorn (of course made in the green pot) I watched with my mom. Again tonight, as I opened the cabinet to find a pot to make beef tips and gravy, there it was….. just right and perfect. A sweet reminder of important things like family and the food that, in an odd way, binds us together. I use it all the time though I have many others that could do the job; others that look better, probably better quality, and certainly more ‘matchy-matchy’. This pot, however, makes everything taste a little better with its special ingredient…..memories.
I miss you Mom.
Lisa Beasley is a graduate of the University of GA and Mid-America Theological Seminary. She works with Special Ed students at Sixes Elementary in Canton, GA and volunteers as director/teacher at church. She is the mother of four boys and the wife of Scott Beasley, pastor of River Church. www.riveratlanta.org
