Soup and Other Things | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Soup and Other Things | Previous Challenge Entry
By Laurie Bahlke
02/03/22
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES

My father has called many times this morning. Five times in the span of twenty minutes. He is making potato soup and seeks direction. A few miles away, I am laying on the floor, trying to get relief from intense pain in my right hip and leg due to a herniated disc. He calls again.
“Laurie, mom always made broth-like stuff. How do I do that?”
“I always use a can of cream of celery soup and water.”
“Oh. I don’t have that. Will cream of mushroom soup work?”
“I don’t think so, dad. “
“Why not?”
“Well, I just don’t think it would taste right.” I am trying to stay focused and attentive, but the pain is searing.
“Okay, I’ll let you go.”
“Okay. Bye, dad. I love you most.”

The phone rings again. “Hey, how do I get the broth-like stuff? Mom, used to make it so it had a little broth for dipping crackers.”
“Maybe try a little flour and a little water.” It seems like there is a better solution, but I cannot pull it from my brain right now.
“Ok, I’ll try that. Like how much, two cups?”
“No, probably not that much, dad.”
“Okay, I love you most.”
We banter for a few rounds over the word ‘most’ and who said it first. It’s what we do before the end of every phone call and visit.

I hang up the phone. I sigh heavily and begin to cry, somewhat from the pain but also for my dad. He misses mom and the way she did things, including making soup.
The phone rings, again. “Hi, Dad. How is the soup coming?”
“I added a can of beer to it.”
“Why would you do that dad?”
“I don’t know, I thought it would help it get like a broth But this soup is a disaster. I can stick a fork in it and it stands up. I mean it’s a real disaster.”
“It sounds like too much flour dad. I’m sorry.”
Did I tell him to add beer? He is disappointed, I can tell.

A few hours later, when I cannot stand on my own, my husband calls an ambulance. The medics remind me to breathe slowly, “One… Two…. That’s it.” I think briefly of all that is good in life. My children, my granddaughters, a home that has been safe and a retreat for me. I hear the medic say, “we are six minutes out now”. I hang onto the number like a mental life raft. The medic asks if I am okay. “I am praying,” I mumble. I whisper the Lord’s Prayer three times, although I know some of the words are missing, lost to waves of pain and fear.

Two nurses, one doctor. I start to drift off, the medicine is working. I wake intermittently and see my heartbeat on the monitor. I begin to count the peaks and valleys, steady and quietly my heart pumps on. It is here in the quiet of my breathing, that I begin to think of my father and the potato soup. I wonder how many potatoes he diced, how many carrots he peeled, I wonder if he cried. I think of my mother and the many days she suffered in pain. I think of my children and the moments that defined their childhood walks by the river, French toast, baseball games, muddy puddles, motorcycle helmets, and sandcastles. I know that I am not dying. I am only in pain that will be corrected and that won’t last. And yet, in the quiet and after the pain has lessened, I think about those who will meet a different fate. What moments will come to mind? What moments will be counted as the most important, the best lived?

Most. The greatest in quantity. Count. Prioritize. Divide. Measure. Multiply. Our days are filled with these, whether it is a day free of worries or a day filled with challenges, this is how we live. I feel the contrast in moments this day and I am more aware than ever of how time passes. Count your blessings, even if it is just to sit and be aware of your beating heart. Divide and conquer when difficulties arise. Multiply joy by spending time with the ones you love and who will become the memories that linger long into the future. Remember, that you are loved most by our heavenly Father, and He is with you, in all moments.

PREVIOUS ENTRY | NEXT ENTRY
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.