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It’s amazing to me how holidays can invoke so many precious memories from childhood. While planning my family’s own Thanksgiving celebration, I traveled decades into the past to bring back some fond and warm memories of childhood Thanksgivings.

Some of my early Thanksgivings were spent with my father’s mother who we called Grandma Lee. She lived in rural Belhaven. Her house was at least a quarter mile from her nearest neighbor. The candy store was a mile away. Her house was surrounded by trees and a large creek was almost in her back yard.

My dad would pick us up from school and take us to her house the Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving. My sister Lena and I had learned the traditional Thanksgiving song ‘Over The River and Through the Woods by Lydia M. Child at school. We would sing it all the way to Belhaven because we really did go over the Pungo River and through the woods.

Grandma Lee did not have a television when we first started going to visit her for Thanksgiving. She did not want one. But my dad gave her one because of our constant complaining about nothing to do at her house. We couldn’t play outside without her being nearby because she was afraid we would fall into the creek. There were no kids living nearby so there was no one to play with. So, Dad got her a TV.

I can’t tell you how happy we were to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade that year hosted by Buffalo Bob from the Howdy Doody TV show.

All three hours of the parade had us glued to the TV. After the parade went off, Grandma Lee taught us a lesson about being grateful. She served us lunch with the most delicious beef stew. After I ate a second helping, she said she was glad I liked the deer. “What deer I asked” “Oh the deer meat I just fixed you for lunch” she said. “I just ate deer?”, I asked in disbelief. “Yes, you sure did “she said. “Oh Lord, I just ate Bambi! I cried. I won’t ever eat meat you cook again!

“Child”, she said, “you better thank the good Lord for every morsel of food you put in your mouth. So many people every day have nothing to eat.”

Then she turned on the radio and had us listen to President Dwight D Eisenhower, our 34th president, who had issued his Thanksgiving Proclamation in which he talked about our nation’s Food For Peace Program.

He stated how as Americans we needed to help people in foreign lands as well as at home have food to eat. He called for ordinary citizens, community groups, churches and other religious organizations to help ease hunger in our country as well as abroad.

It was then I realized some children did not have enough food to eat. I still remember learning that sobering thought. As an adult, that lesson was not lost to me. I have spent most of my adult life helping to feed the homeless and anyone in need of food. This year that tradition continues with a community Thanksgiving meal for anyone in need at Spring Garden Baptist Church 526 Gladden Street Thursday from 12:00-4:00 or until we run out of food.

A very Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving to you and your family.