On my first day of freedom, I bought white bread. It felt subversive and rebellious. A great way to start my career at BYU, no?
I was on my own in the apartment-style dorms of Heritage Halls and I got to buy my own groceries for the first time. My list was full of the forbidden items I didn't get while growing up. That's how I ended up with white bread. I was sick of wheat bread. I wanted the Wonder Bread goodness my friends got to eat. My mom just shook her head when I plopped my first loaf in the cart.
She knew what I didn't.
Wonder Bread isn't so good. The wheat bread we ate growing up with its rich nuttiness was much tastier than the bland, anemic loaf I brought home.
I can't even tell you how many times I learned that lesson the hard way: listen to your mother. I'm stubborn, so...lots. Over and over again until it stuck.
Boys will treat you with more respect if you aren't hanging out of your clothes. Get enough sleep. Don't forget to pray.
I only wish white bread was the last and worst of my transgressions. The list is long and embarrassing.
It turns out I learned something else from my mom. I've learned a little something about putting the past behind me and about forgiveness of myself as much as others.
And my kids eat wheat bread.
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23 comments:
This post is an absolute GEM. Clever title, vivid reminiscence, lesson learned with humor and humility.
As I'm working on my new novel, I have an enhanced appreciation for the blog post as a fresh and new form of art. Well done.
We eat wheat bread, too.
Love this. The title is excellent, too.
Heritage Halls. What fun memories. Good times.
And the joys of wheat bread. I made two loaves on Monday for my boys. :)
It is so true that once we got out and put our moms' lessons to the test we find that they were so often right about so many things.
I respect my mom so much for things I didn't appreciate years ago. And I can tell you still love and respect yours.
Great post. Thanks.
Great Harvest is the only way to go for me. And 99% of the time it is not the white varity (except for french toast and white bread makes the best). I don't make bread like my mom used too, but I appreciate that she did. Love ya Mel.
What is it about being a kid and rolling that wonderbread into a ball of play-doh-like consistency? And we wanted to Put It In Our Mouths? Ack.
I think this explains why I spent most of college years living off of Pringles and bubble gum. And why my kids eat wheat bread, too.
I have to say, I love me a loaf of Grandma Sycamore's White Bread.
At least you bought bread. I didn't even purchase foods that were, technically speaking, foods.
Poignant post, Melanie. I should've listened to my mum more too. And we eat whole wheat EVERYTHING now.
Awwww, so sweet! I bet your mom would love to read this. It's a great tribute. Has she read it?
Great post.
Way to go letting your kids eat Wonder bread.
David won't let it in the house. :( But, one day, I'll sneak it in and they'll wonder why I was holding out on them!
Turns out moms are right about a lot of things, aren't they?
Including wheat bread.
I'm trying to find a way to tell you that I think you totally rock without sounding butt-kissy or creepy...
(And we eat wheat bread, too. Those moms, they know what they're talking about!)
Spot on! I remember scoffing at my mom's advice/admonitions as a teenager, thinking, "Hello Mom--this is the 80's!" The older I get, the more I see that she is almost always right! I've learned to stop being irritated by that fact and instead be grateful that I have such a wise mother.
My 'kid self' would gag knowing I only buy wheat bread for my kids!:)
Great post. It seems everyone who reads your blog eats wheat bread. We still eat white pasta but I'm working on it.
Mom. That word should be a synonym for wisdom.
Sometimes it sucks growing up to realize how much smarter my mom is than I thought.
Sometimes, I just want to lean on her shoulder and ask her how I survive being a mom, myself.
I so hope my kids are listening to me. And yes, they eat wheat bread!
I am with Kristina P on this one. I fell off the wheat bread wagon when I found Grandma Sycamore's white bread...I'm still THAT rebellious. And some of us must try some things out for themselves, no matter how many times we are told. I am still working on not beating myself up over it.
I love wheat bread but was raised on white bread... my taste buds LOVE white bread... but I make us all eat wheat bread, well now I do... didn't do that before.
I hope I can be that kind of mom. I imagine you treasure these gems she's left you quite a bit. Your comment today plucked at my heartstrings.
p.s. I love sealings this week, too.
In your honor, I shall go make bread. . .right after I put my kids to bed.
It's amazing how wise my parents are now that I'm a lot older. . .
My dad was a bread delivery guy for Wonder Bread when I was growing up. We had white bread all of the time. I craved the homemade wheat type. Now, I make the homemade wheat type for my kids all of the time and they complain that they don't get the store bought white bread. So funny!
I think it is funny how dumb our moms are when we are little, and how wise they are as we age. And yet I know it is not their intelligence that has increased as much as it is our own.
Cute post and title.
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