A Life in Exile

I’ve worked hard this week, and though I wasn’t sure I had the energy, I was really looking forward to doing something fun with my family. We planned to attend our first-ever National Banana Pudding Festival in Centerville, Tennessee. I had no idea what to expect, but when banana pudding is in the name, it had to be good. I was not disappointed.

What I originally thought was an outing with my sons and daughter-in-law, turned out to be a two-car caravan with three other friends and a baby. When I drove to my son’s to meet them and saw their friend holding his little four-month-old daughter, I thought to myself, “life is changing, Carol,” but that’s another story.

Prior to heading on this pilgrimage to banana pudding heaven, I thought about the phrase, “the proof’s in the pudding.” Always heard it, often said it, but now I couldn’t really remember what it meant, which is not unusual with things we say in the South. So, I looked it up. The saying comes from the country well-known for pudding, our dear England, where the 17th century original phrase went like this: “All the proof of a pudding is in the eating.” The meaning being that something is proven true by the experience of it or by putting it to the test.

We certainly put this to the literal pudding test, as we sampled and judged ten banana puddings — yes ten, served in little medicine cups. We had a great time tasting and discussing our choices. I’m a traditionalist and chose Puddin’ and Pearls, which had nice chunks of bananas and a very good consistency of pudding.

The pudding was proof that a national event can be built around bananas and custard, offering an opportunity for family and friends to get out and away from screens and devices for some good, old-fashioned fun. However, there is something else that lives up to the saying — the proof of good friends is in their willingness to be with you in good times and bad.

When my sons told me of the others who were coming, I was at first deflated, but then realized my boys have always come with a crowd. We seldom went on family vacations alone — sometimes their teachers joined us for a week at the beach or their classmates came along. Our house was always busy with boys (and then girls) who came for game nights or even Bible studies. Friends are a part of their life, as it should be.

I’m thankful for my friends and theirs, who have been a part of all our journeys on this earth. Having lost a dear friend this week, in her 96th year of life, I can only say, “Thank you, Lord for the friends you’ve brought my way.” The proof of your goodness and love is definitely experienced in the friendships you’ve blessed me with over the years.

So, today I was happy to see the proof in both the pudding and the friends.

Grace and Peace