A Time to Live Through

Coronavirus

Our country has gone through many difficult times, and it's going through one now. Many have lost loved ones because of the current pandemic. The grief and loss that some are going through will only spread to others. I go through the grocery store and see people trying to go about their business in a normal way. But most of us are wearing masks and gloves, and that is not normal. Even in Walmart, people are trying to stay apart so we don't get too close. It makes me wonder how my ancestors dealt with the difficult events they lived through. Slavery, Civil War, Spanish Flu, WWI & WWII, the Great Depression.

As for me, I'm baking bread. I've done it on and off for 10 years, although it never came out the way I wanted it to. It wasn't by design. I went to buy groceries, and there was no bread left. Most of the flour was gone too, but I got what I needed. Since then, we've been eating a lot of fresh bread. While this is something kind of special for my kids, it would have been a normal occurrence 100 or more years ago.

I've also started a small garden. I have mixed feelings about this. As much as I'm excited about the possibility of growing our own food, I'm sure it will not turn out as good as I would like. There have already been a few problems. But, I will keep going and see what I can learn for next year.

My Grandparents

My maternal grandparents in Botetourt County.

We all have 4 grandparents by blood. But my father wasn't around growing up, so I didn't get to know his parents. Nevertheless, I know all 4 were born before the Great Depression started, and they all survived it. I don't know how they survived, but some memories of my maternal grandparents provide clues. 

Grief is an interesting thing. Most often, memories of my grandparents bring a smile or laugh. Lately, they bring tears. My grandfather, James David Hickenbotham, died in 1981 when I was 6 years old. I have several memories of him. Walking down the hallway while sucking my thumb, and getting yelled at for doing so. Sitting on his lap. Sneaking into his workshop in the basement. Eating at the table. He did not allow food to go to waste. If we put food on our plate, we ate it. It did not get thrown out. If you were full, eat it anyway. I vividly remember him eating chicken. Every scrap of meat on the bones was eaten off, and the marrow was sucked out. He didn't waste any food. 

My grandmother, Dena G Hickenbotham, lived until 2008. I have many vivid memories of her. My siblings and I would spend the night with her from time to time, giving my mom a break. In the mornings, she always had coffee. I don't really recall her eating breakfast. Through those visits, I became familiar with the phrase "make do." If you don't have milk for cereal, make do with water. The second option may not be preferable, but it will work until you get what you need. Or what you want. Because many of the things we decide we need are really wants, and we can make do without them.

I imagine my family survived by utilizing those 2 rules. Never let anything go to waste, and make do with what you have. Although what we are going through isn't the same, those rules will always apply. Some items are still hard to find in stores now. Others may be scarce later on. So, we need to make sure not to waste what we have. When the time comes, make do when what we want isn't there.