I think, I Feel... I Know

In one of my last posts, I wrote about soup memories inspired directly by the tantalizing cooking of Hinda Czernick, z"l.

Well apparently I was not the only one who remembers Grandma's cooking. Last night, I went to a Soup for the Soul women's event perfectly organized by a young writer/mother named Chani. It was at her house that I heard miracle stories of a mother who donated parts of her liver to save her three year old daughter with a tumor, partisans who, during the Nazi regime took grandparents of a Jewish family in and by chance both them and the Toral scrolls survived and the speaker eventually met up with both the scroll and former family members. The list goes on.

Chani impeccably had the living and dining room adorned with ruby lamp candles, rose petal candles everywhere, smells of vanilla and jasmin rose hip teas and a wide delectable scent of teas and flowers...and finally, there were glass canisterns of lima beans, peas, ABC's pasta, dried beef and vegetable soup powder, mushrooms, etc which we put in decorated glass jars to either prepare at home, or to give away as gifts. What a lovely idea!

When you get back in the form of food or stories, it inspires you to give. So I did just that by preparing one of those soups (it came out great) and brought it down to the lady downstairs. She was overjoyed. It takes just a small act of random kindness to bring a smile of warmth to a person. Just a few minutes will do.

For weeks, my soul has been worn out with writing, researching, reorganizing, searching for jobs, ... mommy writers are nurturers of the soul indeed.

Why just today I came across an old black binder full of teacher notes and saw handwritten citations of Thomas Moore's Cares of the Soul. I remember how it captured me before mommy days, and I wonder how it would feel to reconnect with his words again.

Chani lovingly prepared for each and every one of us a book of soup recipes and texts of our Grandmothers. Mine was there. One may consider that they all represent in their own way, ecriture feminine or, 'women's writing. I tend to think of it as universality - since women's writing is part of the universality of soul.

And now for a new subject altogether: Ivry and I went to the Carnegie Science Center on Saturday. It was a lovely day. The train exhibit was amazing. I have never seen anything like it. Here are some pictures of the little guy.