My friend Abby (not her real name) darted into the Christmas party, looking rushed yet still so put together. Festive sweater, earrings, angel necklace, even a glittery barrette. But once she moved through the crowd, once we were alone, the smile faded. “I want to burst into tears right here, right now!” Abby said. I… Continue reading Looking East
Author: Melissa Norton Carro
Poinsettias and Fur
This week would have been my mother’s birthday, and I found myself thinking about my dad. Poinsettias on the altar at Belle Meade Methodist Isn’t it amazing how objects and events can trigger memories, can arouse feelings of grief and joy. For me, one of those triggers was the poinsettia display on our church’s Sunday… Continue reading Poinsettias and Fur
Lunch Meat
As a child, I craved bologna. Fast forward 40 years and I have become it. I grew up in the south as the turbulent 60s were melding into the psychedelic 70s—the daughter of a working dad and stay-at-home-mom who made homemade butterscotch brownies that were as routine to Friday nights as those Brady and Partridge… Continue reading Lunch Meat
Thanksgiving China
Perhaps because it's my favorite holiday, I count years in terms of Thanksgivings. For me, the holiday is not just a stop-gap between Halloween and Christmas. It's a special day all its own. It deserves its own decorations, its own glam. The day after Thanksgiving, as the china gets packed away and the chipped Turkey… Continue reading Thanksgiving China
