Pebbles and palm kernelsOn my shelf I have this little jar of rocks. That might seem odd until I tell you that they were scooped up outside my childhood home in Liberia. As I dumped them out and held them tonight, I was surprised to realize that they are bumpy and rough, but there are no sharp edges on those reddish pebbles, almost as if they have been rubbed together until all the sharp points have worn away. Once in awhile I ran in bare feet on those little pebbles, and I could have sworn they were covered with sharp points all over!
In my jar of pebbles are two dried nuts with some husk still clinging to them. They are palm kernels, the center of the palm fruit. That shape, that color, that size, that texture... it is one of those familiar things forever in my mind. We used the palm fruit for lots of things...a dish to serve with rice, cooking oil, oil for making soap. We called the palm fruit "palm nuts," and as I write I can taste palm nuts fried in a pan with a little salt added...
This jar holds some of my very first memories.
4 comments:
Oh good grief!
Now I'm goin' off to work filled with nostalgia! You knew this one would get me, you rascal!
There is nothing like a little good nostalgia to start yer day off!
Jeanette, you won't believe this, but on my dresser I have a crystal jar filled with pebbles! Slightly different story, though. You know how most children will pick flowers for their mothers? Charis used to find pebbles for me. I used to collect Precious Moments figurines, and Charis would find soft, smooth stones in pastel colors, and tell me they were "precious moments" rocks!
Those really were precious moments, and I'm glad I saved them. Aren't we just two peas in a pod? :-)
As you were writing, I began to feel and touch - in my mind - the tiny soft "baby leaves" that grew on our sycamore tree every spring. Isn't amazing how those things can just take you back? Thanks so much for "taking me back" with you.
Thanks for adding your story, Renae, and I love your collection of "precious moments" rocks! How sweet Charis was to notice what you loved and then collect something like that for you!
Two peas in a pod...I'm beginning to notice it, too!
I'm glad you are enjoying the memory trip, and I hope it will remind you of even more special things!
Post a Comment