Appreciating Life Before Covid-19
I was checking emails and found a folder I created on February 7th titled “2020 blogs” which was before I came up with the actual pandemic food blog, Pantry Living. It was meant for my work website and Facebook to reconnect with customers, but I put it on hold because it didn’t feel appropriate. Now, it’s the perfect moment to share with the rest of the world because it reflects the beauty of memory with our loved ones.
Feb 7 2020
Recently, the world stopped for our family and we took 3 days off to mourn and celebrate the life of my beloved grandmother. My cousin in MN had ask family members to send her photos that we may have of grandmother, so I went through whatever albums I had. It was then that I realized how photos are so precious when a loved one is no longer with us. I went through my photo album that I’ve scanned hundreds of time before, but this time these pictures made me feel more sentimental. I truly didn’t appreciate the photos until now - until my soul was searching for happier captured moments with grandmother. I sent one of the photos to my sister because she was on the same mission trying to find grandmother in it. I ended up finding only one of her with grandmother. What I also found was another photo that has become my favorite because I have this crazy idea about writing a cook book one day and the photo resonated with the thought of home cooked meals. It is a picture of my grandmother at the head of the table, next to my mom and aunt. The table has a spread of traditional Hmong food and so many bowls of all sizes! I don't recall this moment even though I took the photograph with either my Sony Long-shot camera or Nikon DSLR, but what I do know is that I captured the moment not knowing how important it would be 15-20 years later. The more I examined this particular moment the more I realized how our home dining experiences have changed too. Particularly for me, I don't make elaborate home cooked meals like I wished I would for my own family--it's usually 1 or 2 dishes and I have picky eaters. Looking back, eating at my parents' dining table was such a blessing due to their awesome home cooking. It wasn’t the best and peaceful family moments all the time, but when grandmother was in town our hearts were warm.
Do you have any happy memory related to family time at the dinner table? Feel free to share with me what some of your special moments were involving family, food and traditions. Until then, stay healthy.
