Food for the soul

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and it is right around the corner. Growing up on the East Coast, I associated this season with a chill in the air, leaves turning colors and that fresh, clean smell that made you want to take a deep breath.

In Houston, autumn takes a little imagination. Some trees change color, and if we are lucky, we can trade our T-shirts and shorts for something warmer. If we’re really lucky, we might even get to light a fire.

Of course, the stores need no help announcing the season. Christmas decorations arrive in November, unless you shop at Costco, where the trees, Santas, and lights have been waiting since September. Meanwhile, pumpkin takes over everything from coffee to candles, holding its ground until peppermint and eggnog move in.

For me, though, Thanksgiving will always mean family gathered around the dining room table, talking, laughing and eating until we could not manage another bite. It was the one holiday when we permit ourselves to be gluttons.

Thanksgiving dinner table with homemade pumpkin pie

Somehow, we always saved room for my grandmother’s pumpkin pie. Any of her pies, really.

She was an artist, and her masterpiece began with the crust. The women in my family tried to duplicate it, but nobody succeeded. We were convinced she had a secret ingredient. Unfortunately, her recipes lived in her head, never on paper, and that secret stayed with her. We still make her pumpkin pie, and the filling is wonderful, but it has never tasted the same.

That missing ingredient reminds me how much a meal carries: memories, affection and the presence of people we wish could join us again. A familiar dish can bring someone back to the table, if only for a moment.

My grandfather left us another Thanksgiving lesson. He owned a small market, and when families in the neighborhood were struggling, he quietly made sure they had something to eat. He never needed an audience or a thank-you. He saw a need and did what he could.

I think about that when I consider families trying to stretch a paycheck across groceries, rent and other necessities. Having a job does not always mean having enough. A holiday meal can become one more expense that will not fit.

Most of us cannot help everyone, but we can consider what is possible. Donate to a food pantry. Add a few groceries for a neighbor. Contribute toward a family’s holiday meal or invite someone who would otherwise eat alone. Ask what would help and offer it with kindness and respect.

The turkey, potatoes, greens, tofu and my grandmother’s pumpkin pie will taste sweeter knowing we have helped someone else enjoy the day. Giving does not require a grand gesture. Sometimes it begins with an extra place at the table.

As we settle in after dinner, perhaps to watch football, I hope we can enjoy the comfort of knowing another household has something to celebrate, too.

I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

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