So today I was worried about having enough food for a family get together, so I ordered an extra pizza. It was a from this gourmet pizza place with extravagant names for their pizza concoctions. Of course, I ordered way too much pizza, and much of it went to waste. The toppings were quite interesting however. My grandmother, who is 97, looked at the array of large pizza pies sitting at the table and said, this could all be gone one day, easily.
I did not quite understand what she meant, so I asked her to explain. She said growing up she had nothing anything close to this. The idea that you would have $140 dollars available to buy much of anything, much less take out food of this nature was beyond comprehension. In her mind, this could all be simply lost, could all just go away easily. The idea of the frivolity of having a pizza loaded with exotic cheeses, imported vegetables and meats from 3 different animals is just incredible to a women who grew up during the depression era.
Ultimately she was just grateful that she was in a position to sit in a comfortable, well furnished living room, surrounded by family eating an exotic take out food ordered with money she could easily afford. Just grateful. Amazed really. Has to keep reminding herself that all of this is just extras. When she was a girl, a small handmade doll was all she had to entertain herself with. She sees my daughter playing a game on her tablet in a game where she is chatting with friends from another state.
Anyway, the extra pizza was left uneaten. I spent more money and bought more food on that single extra pizza then my Grandmother’s family could have afforded in an entire month, even if I adjusted this for inflation. I am grateful that I could do that, and tears even are swelling in my eyes now as I think what blessings have been given to my family.
Guy Reams
🙏🥰