The first time my mom went to my dad’s house she thought his family was rich because their house was so nice. Not even close. My grandpa was a mechanic for the city bus line. My dad used to say that my mom’s mom could make a ten course meal at the drop of her hat. Not so, but she was able to pull things out of her fridge and put them in little serving dishes so that lunchtime looked like a tapas restaurant.
I have no idea how financially secure either one of them were but like most women of their generation, they had the ability to make something out of nothing. A long time ago, that virtue was tossed aside so we could dive headfirst into consumption which doesn’t seem to be giving anybody great results.
I keep pictures of both of my grandmas close by. Like one, I love to decorate. Like the other, I can make something little look like something big. They left this earth many years ago but their spirits remain nearby, teaching me that making do has always been about making a life.
