Photo Prayer 2020-47 -- Family and Feasts
My father grew up in poverty, one of eleven children in Hell’s Kitchen, the Lower East Side, and Canarsie. The words he heard again and again at supper were, “Fill up on bread!” He left home for a career in the U.S. Navy storing and deploying nuclear weapons. That meant his own children never went hungry, in part because my mother bought simply and in bulk at the government-subsidized commissary. Food alone is not enough to make a family happy but I remember times we were, the six of us together after a big holiday meal, all of us as stuffed as turkeys, sitting around the television watching The Wizard of Oz. Now cannot be then. We cannot re-create the past. Even so we can be grateful — and we can once again have pecan pie and watch Dorothy as she yearns to get away from home only to spend the rest of the movie trying to get back.
Photo of the author and his family circa 1962.
Text copyright 2020 by Danny N. Schweers.
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Comments
Steve wrote:
What a beautiful turn of phrase at the end, and how appropriate for the season. Thank you, Danny.
Susan wrote:
Thank you Danny, This had meaning at many levels for me. Thank you for sharing some of your family story. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
Julie wrote:
Very nice meditation, Danny. Echoes of my own upbringing here. And, yes, we can never go back. Ever. But we can certainly go forward with better results, if our intentions are good. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Bernadette and Jerry wrote:
Thanks for sharing, Danny! Happy Thanksgiving!
Rob wrote:
So...which one is you in the picture?! [Top left, the very shy guy in glasses.]
Cora and Wayne wrote:
Hi Danny! A wonderful reminder how we ALL grew up!! My brother & I had a great childhood as we grew up on a dairy farm. Always busy but what a life!! Thanks for sharing!
Pamela wrote:
Danny I live your photos and stories!!! Thanks and enjoy Thursday!! I agree we really have much to be thankful for.
John wrote:
Thanks for the reminder - I am grateful! Great photo too!
Emily wrote:
Hi Danny: lovely, just lovely. Happy Thanksgiving!
Carl wrote:
Thank you Danny. I love the photo and the story/prayer. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Barbara.
Sybil wrote:
We stand on the shoulders....
Bill wrote:
Nice. My guess is that you are the taller boy, with glasses. Am I right? Who’s older, you or your sister? Your dad is a handsome guy. Runs in the family, right? Many blessings to you and yours.
Nancy wrote:
What a wonderful photo of your family. My mother [your aunt] always had a special place in her heart for your dad and mom. They had a terrible childhood but they both became great parents. Wonderful childhood memories for us.
Elizabeth wrote:
Thanks for the picture and your words, Danny. For me it evokes family memories of times with relatives including cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. Perhaps next year we can expand the number of folks at our special meals.
Alice and Buck wrote:
Such a warm remembrance. Hope your Thanksgiving was great.
Donna wrote:
Wonderful note! Wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!