Home Again – By Heart

Nana had a glass candy dish . . .

One of my earliest memories is the sight of it sparkling on a little table in her parlor.

It was usually filled with Canada Mints.

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As a very young child, whenever I’d visit Nana’s house, there were three things to relish:

First, the moment I came through the door – she’d be waiting. She’d gather me into a big hug, my cheek at apron-level, and we’d both let out little squeals of delight.

Second, an ever-present aroma of something wonderful cooking on the stove.

And finally, there was that candy dish!

I was fascinated by the fact it was always so accessible! This was not the case in my own home, where my mother had a few small children and probably felt that unattended candy could be a choking hazard.

But at Nana’s, you could have a piece any old time you wanted! Her only admonition: “Don’t take more than a few – you’ll get a stomach ache!”

Gosh, I loved those Canada Mints!

Recently, I thought about them and decided to try and find some in our area. I bought a package marked “Canada Mints”, but when I opened them – I discovered they were a rather poor version of my childhood treat. The rounded edges were chipped and very uneven – as if the candy mold had been ripped off too quickly. The word “Canada” was blurry and even the flavor somehow seemed more artificial.

It was a bit disappointing, but as most of us learn by the time we’re grown; we can’t really “go home again” . . .

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The thing is though, if I close my eyes – I can still smell and taste that original candy from so long ago.

And if I listen very intently, I can still hear Nana’s soothing voice . . . and feel the warmth of her hugs.

Aren’t we lucky when a happy memory, all by itself, is enough? 🙂

Hugs,

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Comments

Home Again – By Heart — 6 Comments

  1. oh what a sweet story Crystal! I too had a grandmother like yours….always cooking something yummy & she had a candy bowl, too! In my grandma’s candy bowl, she had spice drops, which I still love to this day. I buy them because they remind me of her. Great memories!

  2. My grandmother didn’t have a candy dish but she always had brown cow ice cream bars in the freezer. I still love them and they remind me of her whenever I eat one. I’m fortunate that they still taste the same.

  3. What a heartwarming story Crystal! For me, it was my Grandmother on my Dad’s side and her mouthwatering peach cobbler. Just thinking about it makes me all fuzzy and warm inside. I used to watch the entire process as she made it, and believe me, she had my full attention each time! lol
    Thanks for your story and reminding me of a sweet child memory. 🙂

  4. Let’s raise our glass to Grandmother’s everywhere!! Yours was very special.

    I too have many memories of hours spent at Grandma’s. A hug and a kiss meant the world to me. And a pat on the head. She loved to do that.

  5. Hi there, Kids!
    It’s so nice to read about all of your special grandmothers. 🙂

    (And Nancy can especially identify with my story because she had the same Nana I did!)

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