In my childhood, I did childish things, like setting the table with one unmatched plate, given to the person in the family I was not too keen on at that moment.
Current plates are all matching in our household, but we've acquired a few forks that do not belong to us. Remembering my childhood, I have started calling it the fork of hate when the table is set and dinner is served, and I find that odd fork at my place.
I dislike those forks. Not for the same reasons my daughter hates them (she doesn't like to use "used" silverware) but because they don't feel right in my hand. The heft is all wrong! I complain about that different fork, because I know I have a drawer full of matching (in "my" pattern) forks. Why do I keep getting the fork of a different set?
The other day when we sat down for dinner, my daughter found the odd fork at her place. She asked my son to trade forks before the meal, and he said no way. I looked at my regular, beloved, fork, finally one of my own, and I looked at her holding the odd fork.
Like any good mother will do, I traded forks with her. Now when I see that fork of a different set, I don't think of it as the fork of hate. I think of it as a reminder of a mother's love for her children, of giving and sacrificing and it all being worth it to see her children smile. I am reminded that sometimes the simplest of things is the kindest of things.
I get all that and more when I see one of those different forks. So long, forks of hate. Hello, forks of motherhood! I'm not above trying to get them back to their rightful homes, but I no longer complain when one is at my place.
You're such a good mommy : ) We have some odd forks in our drawer too. I always wonder where they came from...
ReplyDeleteI know where they came from (my son's friends) but I can't figure out why. The boys readily acknowledge they have brought silverware from their homes into our house, but are making no move to take it back!
ReplyDeletemaybe i'm weird, but i kind of like mismatched plates and cutlery - - it's kind of cool :)
ReplyDeleteI like that look too! But currently all our plates are matching, with the exception of one old plastic Hercules plate, and my forks all match except for three....
DeleteAt the first paragraph I started laughing because I d- err.. used to do the same thing. Hehe.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't like using "used" cups.
I'm so glad to know I am not the only one to use plates to show affection!
DeleteFamilies have the most rigorous "codes" for these matters, especially when siblings setting the table, are involved. The revenge always comes during the clean-up afterwards, which was always a paired activity in our household.
ReplyDeleteFor us, both kids set the table, then one clears while the other washes. When they share the table clearing duty, they never can agree on who is doing what and the table is left unwashed. On their own, they do much better!
DeleteThis is a sweet reminder of the sacrifices of motherhood. It reminds me of a fork issue we had in our house growing up. Our forks all pretty much matched but the set had some longer forks and some shorter forks (salad forks or dessert forks or whatever forks). When we set the table, my father used to (mildly) flip out over the "little fork" being at his place. "Who gave me the little fork?!" was one of two things we could count on him saying practically every day when he came home from work. "Where's the TV Guide?" was the other. At one point, he began to speculate that we were giving him the little fork on purpose just to hear him rant. He was right. ;)
ReplyDeleteOh the horror of the little fork! I hated getting the little fork; it was a right of passage into adulthood when I was given a big fork. I haven't thought of that in years!
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