By Shannon Hahn (Sound-Smell-Taste)
As Mary sat rocking on the front porch of her family’s farmhouse, gazing across the acres of land the generations before had worked so hard to preserve, listening to the creaking and squeaking of the wood porch below her, she began to wonder what was in store for her here. She’s home and happy but, now what?
After graduating college with a major in political science, Mary left Oklahoma on a whim. She always wanted bigger and better things from life. Mary wanted to be known. She didn’t want to settle down with the nice guy, marry and have 2.5 children. She wanted to write, and work for the better good of all. She never felt like she could do that in Oklahoma, and her mother pushed her to follow her dreams, go see the world but, never forget to come home and visit. Mary had done just that.
Mary moved to Washington D.C. She took a job as a lobbyist for the American Cancer Society and she was good at her job, one of the best. She wined and dined with some of the biggest names, and players in all of Washington D.C. She received numerous awards for her work with anti-tobacco campaigns. She was the girl to be. But, she wasn’t so happy anymore.
After 6 years of always being on the go she was starting to miss the slower pace of Oklahoma. She was starting to feel homesick and Skype visits with her mother just weren’t cutting it anymore. Mary wanted to go home.
With no real plan in mind, leaning solely on her savings and 401K Mary turned in her resignation, packed up her townhouse, and bought a one way ticket on a redeye home.
Much to Mary’s surprise, on the plane ride home her fears started to fade away. She was going home. She was going home to the open arms of her mother and father. She was going home to her mother’s baking. The bakeries in D.C. could learn a thing or two from Mary’s mother. She could almost taste the lemon cookies she had loved since she was a child. She knew there would be a plate of warm cookies that had been precisely timed for her arrival waiting on the kitchen island just for her. There always was.
Once the plane had landed the anticipation of seeing her parents again nearly got the best of her and she tripped while running out of the terminal. Just like all the times before, her father was there to help her. “Daddy” she shrieked as the wrapped their arms around each other. “It’s been too long” he said. “We better get you home to your mother before she has my head,” he continued. “Home” Mary said; “it’s good to be home.”
When they arrived at the farmhouse Mary’s mother was rocking, waiting on the porch. Mary jumped out of the truck and ran to her mother, hugged her and paused to remember that all too familiar scent; lavender perfume. Her mother’s favorite. The last time her mother visited in D.C. she left a bottle on her nightstand in the guest bedroom. Mary would often spray it on her pillows in an effort to relieve some of homesickness. It worked to a certain degree but, nothing felt as good or smelled as good as being in her mother’s arms again.
“Come inside” she said, “there is a plate of warm lemon cookies waiting for you on the island and sweet tea is in the fridge.” “Thank you Momma,” Mary said and they all made their way inside.
It was late so after a few cookies and a refill on her sweet tea, Mary kissed her parents goodnight and headed up to bed.
Later the next morning Mary awoke to the sound of her Mother in the kitchen. She was making a breakfast of eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, and hasbrowns; more of Mary’s favorites. “Good morning Momma” Mary said as she approached the kitchen table. “Morning sweetheart, did you sleep well?” her mother asked. “Great’ she answered, “I’m so glad to be home.” “We’re glad you’re home” her father said as he walked in from checking on the cattle.
With food plated and everyone around the table Mary asked her parents, “What do I do now?” I’m on the verge of turning 30, I’m not married, I haven’t even got a boyfriend, and I just quit my job, a really, really good job.” “Don’t worry” answered her father, “You’re a smart girl. Plus, I already have a couple options lined up for you. Right now you just need to slow down, breathe, enjoy your Momma’s cooking and relax. Things will fall into place.”
After the breakfast dishes were washed Mary’s father went back to the field, and her mother headed into town for a hair appointment. Mary decided to stay home enjoy the peace and quiet and think.
She made her way to the large covered porch, taking with her a lemon cookie and a glass of sweet tea. She sat in her favorite rocking chair, covered her arms with one of her mother’s shawls taking comfort in the lavender scent that was left on it, and every squeak and creak the wood porch made beneath her movement sounded like a welcome home.
Her father was right. She was a smart girl. They had raised her to do her best, and they worked hard to send her to college. She knew she could find work somewhere in the city. Every elected official had offered her jobs back home while she was working in D.C. All those years of wining and dining with the big guys could help her out here. So really it was just a matter of what she wanted to do now and like her father said, she has plenty of time to slow down, breathe, enjoy her momma’s cooking, and relax while she figures the rest out. It will all fall in to place.
As Mary sat rocking on the front porch of her family’s farmhouse, gazing across the acres of land the generations before had worked so hard to preserve, listening to the creaking and squeaking of the wood porch below her, she began to wonder what was in store for her here. She’s home and happy but, now what?
After graduating college with a major in political science, Mary left Oklahoma on a whim. She always wanted bigger and better things from life. Mary wanted to be known. She didn’t want to settle down with the nice guy, marry and have 2.5 children. She wanted to write, and work for the better good of all. She never felt like she could do that in Oklahoma, and her mother pushed her to follow her dreams, go see the world but, never forget to come home and visit. Mary had done just that.
Mary moved to Washington D.C. She took a job as a lobbyist for the American Cancer Society and she was good at her job, one of the best. She wined and dined with some of the biggest names, and players in all of Washington D.C. She received numerous awards for her work with anti-tobacco campaigns. She was the girl to be. But, she wasn’t so happy anymore.
After 6 years of always being on the go she was starting to miss the slower pace of Oklahoma. She was starting to feel homesick and Skype visits with her mother just weren’t cutting it anymore. Mary wanted to go home.
With no real plan in mind, leaning solely on her savings and 401K Mary turned in her resignation, packed up her townhouse, and bought a one way ticket on a redeye home.
Much to Mary’s surprise, on the plane ride home her fears started to fade away. She was going home. She was going home to the open arms of her mother and father. She was going home to her mother’s baking. The bakeries in D.C. could learn a thing or two from Mary’s mother. She could almost taste the lemon cookies she had loved since she was a child. She knew there would be a plate of warm cookies that had been precisely timed for her arrival waiting on the kitchen island just for her. There always was.
Once the plane had landed the anticipation of seeing her parents again nearly got the best of her and she tripped while running out of the terminal. Just like all the times before, her father was there to help her. “Daddy” she shrieked as the wrapped their arms around each other. “It’s been too long” he said. “We better get you home to your mother before she has my head,” he continued. “Home” Mary said; “it’s good to be home.”
When they arrived at the farmhouse Mary’s mother was rocking, waiting on the porch. Mary jumped out of the truck and ran to her mother, hugged her and paused to remember that all too familiar scent; lavender perfume. Her mother’s favorite. The last time her mother visited in D.C. she left a bottle on her nightstand in the guest bedroom. Mary would often spray it on her pillows in an effort to relieve some of homesickness. It worked to a certain degree but, nothing felt as good or smelled as good as being in her mother’s arms again.
“Come inside” she said, “there is a plate of warm lemon cookies waiting for you on the island and sweet tea is in the fridge.” “Thank you Momma,” Mary said and they all made their way inside.
It was late so after a few cookies and a refill on her sweet tea, Mary kissed her parents goodnight and headed up to bed.
Later the next morning Mary awoke to the sound of her Mother in the kitchen. She was making a breakfast of eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, and hasbrowns; more of Mary’s favorites. “Good morning Momma” Mary said as she approached the kitchen table. “Morning sweetheart, did you sleep well?” her mother asked. “Great’ she answered, “I’m so glad to be home.” “We’re glad you’re home” her father said as he walked in from checking on the cattle.
With food plated and everyone around the table Mary asked her parents, “What do I do now?” I’m on the verge of turning 30, I’m not married, I haven’t even got a boyfriend, and I just quit my job, a really, really good job.” “Don’t worry” answered her father, “You’re a smart girl. Plus, I already have a couple options lined up for you. Right now you just need to slow down, breathe, enjoy your Momma’s cooking and relax. Things will fall into place.”
After the breakfast dishes were washed Mary’s father went back to the field, and her mother headed into town for a hair appointment. Mary decided to stay home enjoy the peace and quiet and think.
She made her way to the large covered porch, taking with her a lemon cookie and a glass of sweet tea. She sat in her favorite rocking chair, covered her arms with one of her mother’s shawls taking comfort in the lavender scent that was left on it, and every squeak and creak the wood porch made beneath her movement sounded like a welcome home.
Her father was right. She was a smart girl. They had raised her to do her best, and they worked hard to send her to college. She knew she could find work somewhere in the city. Every elected official had offered her jobs back home while she was working in D.C. All those years of wining and dining with the big guys could help her out here. So really it was just a matter of what she wanted to do now and like her father said, she has plenty of time to slow down, breathe, enjoy her momma’s cooking, and relax while she figures the rest out. It will all fall in to place.