The Luckiest Girl

Some of my fondest childhood memories are around food. I remember walking home and seeing my kitchen light on. I knew that meant there was a meal being prepared for me and my family by my Mom. I knew I was the luckiest girl in the world because my Mom was the best cook, except for maybe my Grandmother. Every night we were fortunate to sit down to a delicious meal and a special dessert.

For breakfast I had a choice of cereal, waffles, pancakes or my favorite egg on toast, juice and milk. Each day, I carried my lunch to school and bought milk for 3 cents to go with my bologna sandwich, (tuna on Fridays) apple and two homemade chocolate chip or snicker doodle cookies.

There was always fresh fruit in my house. We even had a fruit man who came to our home every Friday night during the summer months so we could buy our fresh fruit and vegetables for the week. I remember walking into the back of the truck to pick out plums and peaches.

I don't ever remember not having enough to eat, being hungry after a meal or wondering if there would be seconds. I don't ever remember wondering if other people were hungry.

I assumed everyone had enough food to eat.

We also felt special because our Mom also made all our clothes. We would make a few trips to Jordan Marsh in Boston each year to purchase fabric. My Mom would make us dresses and coats and hats to match, skirts and blouses, even nightgowns with bathrobes and let's not forget the bathing suits.

I assumed everyone had enough clothes to wear.

I never remember being cold. The windows in my bedroom were drafty and on really cold mornings a thin layer of ice would form on the inside....but I never had to put on extra clothes to stay warm.

I assumed everyone had enough fuel to heat their homes.

I cannot imagine being a young child and wondering if there would be enough to eat, or if I would have clothes to wear, or heat to keep me warm and the opportunities of an education. But one in 10 children live with these worries, these fears and this reality.

Dorothy Goodwin