The Candy Aisle

Never underestimate the power of chocolate. — Author Unknown

I’ve been baking again. I love to try new recipes…especially the ones that combine my favorite sweet treats. That’s how I stumbled upon my family’s current favorite — S’mores Rice Krispy Treats.

As a consequence, this spring/summer we have been buying a lot of Hershey bars. While I am more of a savory snacker, I do remember eating my fair share of candy bars back in the day. All of this reminded me of my Mom, not because she had much of a sweet tooth, but because she always let us pick out candy at the grocery store. I can still hear her saying, “Get four,” for the four kids in the family. These sweet treats would get rung up by the clerk and then handed back to us. I can only imagine how we beamed coming out of the store…all smiles.

My Mother was always generous with us. She shared everything. Candy, soda, tea, ice cream, gum…you name it. Even in adulthood, if I said I liked something you can bet on my next visit there’d be a little surprise for me. When she stumbled upon the cool salad tongs, they showed up as gifts at Christmas. The Rachel Ray pot holder, Yeti cups, cabin socks, cutting boards, etc…if she came across a great find you were also going to be blessed with it. She shared recipes, parenting tips, laundry hacks, and wisdom on a variety of topics. Looking back I see this as more than a sweet personality trait, it was love and she shared it well. I am grateful for the way she modeled generosity not only in my upbringing but to everyone who knew her. I miss this.

I see you in the candy aisle, Mom. Thank you.

Empty Chairs, Everywhere is a personal grief diary as I process the loss of my Mother to COVID-19.