Friday, December 26, 2014

kitchens and conversations

[please click on the title to read the full post] 




Today's Think Kit blog post prompt: 

Goin' Places

What place stood out for you this year? Outdoors or indoors; a huge gathering or a tête-à-tête? Where were you? Who were you with? What feeling did you have when leaving? Were you inspired? Refreshed? Or...confused and glad to be gone? Whether it was exciting...or awkward: give us a hall pass out of our own room for a few minutes.
What? Choose just one one place that stood out this year? Yikkes! 
Actually there is one place that stands out - my godmother's kitchen in Morogoro, Tanzania. We had spent the day running errands and we were chatting as she prepared our dinner. 
Janet shared stories of her life as a young Sister and her Mom's visit to Tanzania and her childhood. I loved hearing about the journey the beautiful Ebony Crucifix she gave me years ago made from Tanzania to Indiana (with a tour of England in between) and seeing her beautiful face on the cover of a Maryknoll pamphlet from the 1960s. 
Spending that afternoon chatting with her was exactly what I'd come to Tanzania for -to be able to stand in her kitchen and have casual conversations and just soak in her life. 
See the corner of the rug on the right side of the photo above? I brought one just like it back with me and it is in front of my kitchen sink. Every time my toes touch that rug I am transported back to that glorious day. 

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