Ruth Ayres invites us the celebrate each week. Click over to her site Discover. Play. Build. to read more celebrations.
In our household, if you make it into our local paper, you are famous. I made it into a local free magazine, Acadiana Lifestyle. The writer Anne Minvielle called me about 6 weeks ago asking me about my hero. She was doing a feature on local heroes’ heroes. I didn’t have to think long. My hero is my mother-in-law, Anne Simon. I’ve written about her a few times on this blog.
When I married at the young age of 21, I moved with my husband to his home town, away from my family in Mississippi. So his parents became very important to me. Following his father’s death (ten years ago on Nov. 14th), his mother Anne and I got closer and closer. We affectionately call her Minga. That’s the grandma name my oldest daughter gave her. It was a baby’s version of grandma. We loved it and kept it. What a coincidence that the greeting in Burma is “Minga La Bal.” Yes, a few years ago, Minga traveled to Burma and came to my classes dressed in traditional Burmese clothes, bowing her head and saying, “Minga La Bal.” I wrote about it here.
From the article: “Margaret speaks of her mother-in-law as if she were truly a hero. ‘She is like a mother to me, but more than that, she is a best friend, a writing partner, and a confidante. I can talk to her about anything and trust that she will love me no matter what,’ she says. What a blessing!”
While I write this celebration post, my wonderful husband is making a roux for a gumbo. That is the smell of cool weather and of home. However, the scent gets into all your clothes and your pores. We will carry that southern home smell with us all day.
Teaching Authors posted a challenge yesterday on Poetry Friday. Three Weeks of Gratitude. Writing thanksgiving haikus, otherwise known as Thankus. I did this activity with my students a few years ago and here is one from a student. I keep it pinned to the bulletin board in my kitchen.
The seed of a rose
You sprout your knowledge like roots
We share our petals.
by Kylon
Thanku to Roux
Heat tempered with love
Strong scent of flour and oil
Come home for gumbo.
–Margaret Simon
How wonderful that your mother-in-law is your hero. What a blessing. Love the Thankus!!
I did love my mother-in-law, but we never lived close, so I had to enjoy what visits we had, Margaret. You are lucky to have such a closeness & to be close geographically too. I love your thankus, shared about them today too, but haven’t written one yet. It is such a lovely idea. Enjoy your weekend, & the gumbo!
I love that gumbo is the smell of home for you! For me, it’s garlic! Your mother-in-law sounds wonderful & what a lovely relationship you have!! Thankus?!?! LOVE it! You’ll see some on our blogs soon. 🙂 Enjoy this lovely weekend!
What a wonderful mixture you have concocted here. Your incredible relationship, gumbo and thankus. Like Michelle, I hope to see some of those on student the blogs soon.
Hi Margaret,
Thanks so much for sharing the link about our Three Weeks of Thanks-Giving, and for sharing your student’s Thanku in your comment on my post. Love “Thanku to Roux.” I can almost smell it. 🙂
Your relationship with your MIL sounds wonderful. You are indeed blessed!
Hi Margaret,
Sorry, I forgot to link to this post in my initial round-up. I added it just now to: http://www.teachingauthors.com/2014/11/three-weeks-of-thanks-giving-wrap-up.html .
I’m hoping you won’t be too disappointed, since Rafflecopter chose you as our giveaway winner. 🙂 Congratulations! Be sure to reply to the email I just sent you.