Soup

Mothers know, when you are sick with a cold, chicken noodle soup is a warm steamy comfort-food. It soothes a sore throat, breaks up congestion, warms chills from a fever, and makes you feel loved and cared for.

Some purists might only want the homemade variety, rich with vegetables and thick dumpling-type noodles as well as big chunks of chicken and seasoned broth.

When we were young and sick with a cold or flu, Mommy served us Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup. The packet contents, reconstituted with water - swimming with little noodles and warm salty broth soothed many a symptom, and we knew we were getting special treatment if she gave it to us.

These days, whenever I want to serve Mommy soup of any kind, she wrinkles up her nose and frowns in disgust. No matter how warm, how creamy, how chunky the ingredients, or how rich the aroma... she cannot be tempted to have some.

Calling up some memory of "living off of" the stuff during the Depression, the rationing days of WWII, or just times when she needed to stretch a dollar, must be at the root of her feeling like she does about it.

Still,I want to give her something warm and comforting. Something that will make her feel like she's getting special treatment. Something that soothes the aches and pains, and warms the heart.

I want to give her soup... or at least what it represents... the love and care she gave to us.