Ambrosia

Thanksgivings are hard on Jilda. It was always such a special holiday at her folks' house. Food-o-plenty, lots of kinfolks, fun and laughter. Those were happy times.

When he dad Sharky passed away, it put a damper on the holiday, but everyone rallied around her mom and carried on.

When her mom Ruby died just before Thanksgiving a few years ago, the holiday changed dramatically for Jilda.

This year on Thanksgiving morning I went into the kitchen where she was working on food to take to my sister's house and I could tell by the look on her face that she was having a hard time.

"I miss my mom," she said with tears in her eyes. "Me too," I said trying to comfort her, but I came up short.

The moment passed and later that day when I went into the kitchen, she was whipping up something on the counter. "I'm making ambrosia," she said with a gleam in her eyes. Ambrosia is something that Ruby made every Thanksgiving. Ambrosia or nectar of the gods, is a delightful mixture of fruit and coconut.

Thanksgiving evening, we sat by the fireplace and ate a dish of Ambrosia. That simple act put a smile on both of our faces.