I have a confession to make. Deep down inside, I’m a
complete chicken. (Pretty sure this is not a compliment to chickens). But
truthfully, I must admit, I’m a big chicken. The list of things that I am
afraid to do is rather staggering when I really stop to think about it. I’m
afraid of heights, small spaces, and confrontations. I’m afraid of messing up
my children, failing at work, and just all around letting people down. (I should
add . . . this is just the short list!)
So why am I pondering this today? Maybe, because today is
just a day, like any other day this winter. Laundry needs to be washed and put away, the house needs to
be vacuumed, and my children’s rooms are in a constant state of chaos. The sun
is trying to shine, the snow is trying to melt, and I am trying to face
something head on that I really don’t want to do today. So it’s not really just
another day. The odd part about it is, that what I need to face today is
something that I have always enjoyed in the past. I have to face “Soup Night”
with my neighbors.
What is Soup Night, you ask. Well, let me tell you. It is a
night when all the neighbors get together for an evening of food and fun. I
can’t even tell you when it all began, but I’m thinking it’s been around for
8-10 years now. (Neighbors reading this, please let me know if you remember). As I
recall, it started around Halloween. We had one neighbor that would have a
Halloween party before trick-or-treating. The children would all come in
costume, eat yummy treats, and then go collect candy. Most of the parents would
have a beer or some wine, and then follow the children around the neighborhood.
Definitely a win-win for everyone involved. At some point, we all realized that
we were all making large amounts of comfort food for our families, and what
everyone was making, sounded delicious to all of the neighbors. Someone then
had the brilliant idea that there should be a party for the adults as well as
the children for Halloween. So Soup Night was created . . . a treat party for
the children to begin the night, trick-or-treating and then top the night off
with homemade food. At some point a fire-pit was added to the mix, and so we
would have all the food in one house, and the fire-pit outside. People wandered
inside and out enjoying the food, but most especially the company. I would
usually make chili. One neighbor makes the most amazing homemade rolls I
believe any of us have ever had. Another neighbor has a fabulous recipe for
gumbo. You get the idea . . . lots of delicious food, spending time with good
friends and neighbors, and everyone gets to try new foods!
As time moved on, and Halloween did not fall on a weekend,
it was agreed that it was hard to have a late night in the middle of the week.
So Soup Night became a moveable night. If Halloween landed in the middle of the
week, Soup Night would usually fall on a Saturday night. The children were also
getting older, and many were involved with sports on Saturday mornings. It has
been a challenge to have a late night on a Friday anymore!
These have all been good times. Certain foods have been
requested year after year (I did mention the rolls, right?) Funny stories and
inside jokes have emerged from our late nights together. Large amounts of food,
too many candy corns, and probably too many beers have been shared amongst
everyone. Some neighbors have moved, but friendships have remained. We have had
new neighbors move in, who we are now lucky to call friends. So, why would I
want to avoid heading to Soup Night tonight?
Because the last Soup Night this neighborhood had was
November 3, 2012. Emails had been going between everyone all week. Recipes were
discussed as we sat outside Halloween night handing out candy. Chris had
purchased wood and stored it in the trunk of his car for the fire-pit. The children
were excited to have s’mores and to stay up way past their bedtime. Chris did a
last minute trip to the grocery store, to make sure I had all the fresh
ingredients for the chili I made every year. I even took a nap, as I knew I
would be exhausted by the time Soup Night was to begin. When I woke, Chris was
at soccer practice with MK, and the other two were playing in the basement. I set
to work on the chili, and had just put it in the oven when the phone rang.
I had known for quite some time that I lived in a pretty
special neighborhood. There had been emergencies in the past that had brought
everyone together. But this was unexpected and unwelcome. When I hung up the
phone, I ran next door to my neighbor to let her know that I had to leave, and
to please take my children and take care of them. And, oh by the way, the chili
would be ready in two hours. Would she please take it out of the oven, and
bring it over to soup night for me? For the rest of the evening, and into the
night my neighbors took care of my children. They watched over what they ate to
make sure it was free of allergens. They let them play and I think watch movies
with all of the other children there. The adults knew the truth, and they let
my children have one more evening of the life they had always known. They kept
them safe and feeling loved.
So that brings us to today, February 16, 2014. We aren’t
anywhere near Halloween time right now, or November 3. It was agreed upon this
past Fall, that we all still wanted to do a Soup Night, but I knew I just
couldn’t do it in the Fall. It would have just been too much. All day I have
had the feeling that I wouldn’t be able to do it today either. Too many
memories, too many emotions just too close to the surface, and it feels like
they may come forth at any moment. All that being said, I know that I will be
doing it. The children are already dressed. The brownies have been made, and
the baked ziti will be in the oven shortly. All I need to do now is get dressed
in something other than pjs, gather everyone and everything together , and cross
the street to my friends’ home. After all, the chicken does it all the time.
Certainly, I can too.
