by Volecia Plafcan

Created on: December 22, 2008

I can remember when I was four or five, at least, not old enough to go to school, yet. Of course, when both parents worked, someone was hired to take care of the children and in the south, that person would be black. Such as ours. Mary was her name and she had only one arm. She would take care of me during the day and when my sister came home from school, take care of her until our parents showed up the lane.

This was during World War II and sugar was rationed. We paid for the sugar with stamps such as we did other things. The deep rich molasses was made from sugar cane every fall and sealed in tin cans to be divided among the men who helped make it - one, being my dad.

I can remember when Mary would take me and we would go to pick up pecans that the trees in Mr. Miles pasture produced so plentifully every year. Mr. Miles made it clear that whenever we needed those pecans to help ourselves. So, we did. Mary would sit during the day and shell and pick out the delicious, pecan halves and mother insisted she take half of them home with her because her family loved pecan pies as well as ours. The pecans were ready for use in November and Christmas not far away, everybody in the south would have a delicious pecan pie on their buffet or table.

Today, we have plenty pecans and sugar to make those pies with. During that time if we used up all the sugar, we would do without until we received more stamps. Today we have the money to buy the sugar, pecans and whatever else it takes to make one.

Christmas, to me today, is having more - having it easier. We ask God for our daily bread in the prayer we say at night. During World War II we did. God has seen to it that me nor my family has never gone hungry. If we want to run down the street and pick up a bag of sugar, it just takes a few minutes.

How my parents managed to pay Mary to sit my sister and me is beyond my wildest imagination and I know they did for my mother died owing no one. God was on their side and today He is on ours- He gave us Jesus and we know to follow in His ways if we are to be successful and happy, have plenty (maybe not a feast but enough), give our problems to Him and not meddle, for He will surely throw them back to us - in other words, have faith, trust, hope and charity.

Share? Always. If you share, someone else will share with you. Give? Indeed. If you give, it comes right back in another form. Even if it doesn't come back to you, do it anyway. It makes you feel good.

Whoever comes to our house now, does not leave until they have eaten and had a drink of some kind. Do I serve it to them? No. My son does. And when my grandson has his own place, it will be the same with him. People do not understand us, but, that is our heritage and I hope it will never be broken. Who did I learn it from? My great and grandmother and my mother. Of course, that's how it has been in our family for years.

That is Christmas to me. Having something to share with someone without worrying will there be enough the next day. Giving when I can. Christmas through the year.

In God We Trust

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