Cinnamon, Ginger and Cloves

Today, my lovely mother had lunch with my childhood next door neighbors, the Lewis girls. Terry Lewis was my first best friend--we were inseparable. Terry's birthday is in November and mine April which meant that she had to start kindergarten before I did. I still remember the feeling of losing my best friend to school. During lunch, my mom, Maxine (the mom), Kathy (the older sister) and Terry were reminiscing about our lives on Arbor Avenue when Terry confessed the real reason why she didn't want to start school way back when. She didn't want to go to kindergarten because she just wanted to play with Carla.

I was at the grocery store when I saw the light on my blackberry flash and found the email from my mother telling me this story. Reading this line about Terry, made my eyes fill with tears and my heart with love from times past. You see, when Terry and her family moved from Arbor Avenue part way through my elementary school years, I experienced my very first heartbreak. All of these feelings came pouring out at the grocery store...and just by accident (if you believe in them) I was standing in front of the canned pumpkin. All I could think of was pumpkin pie...I had to make one.

There are many things that make up the human heart and the American spirit and three of them are cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Combine them to live fully.