By Tessa Graves
Wearing a dress was never a chore. I had no problem being feminine; I was naturally a girly girl and I had accepted that. However, I lived by the ‘’Desire Until Told’’ philosophy. I was happy to do something until I was told to.
‘’Tessa, you have to wear a dress,’’ my mother chided, and, ‘’Tessa, you have to pin your hair up.’’
‘’No,’’ I said defiantly.
‘’It’s a matter of respect.’’
‘’But I don’t want to.’’
‘’Doesn’t matter.’’
I wore my dress, pinned my hair up, and obeyed my mother. That house in Pembroke was a traditional one, with muted colours and quiet surroundings. My great aunt’s family lived a certain way of life: secluded, private, respectful. Mennonite. It was my mom’s heritage and was subsequently mine too: dress, hair, gender roles and all.
We sat at the lengthy table, that random April afternoon, the adults exchanging stories at volumes suitable for lullabies, the children sitting silent - listening. We ate meat, veggies and potatoes, a meal nutritious enough to fuel your body for farm work. Lunch was short and soon transitioned to cleanup, the women washing and drying the dishes, then preparing dessert.
Live selflessly, act only in necessity, care for others dearly. Funny enough, these values are reflected in their cooking. Marshmallow whip is a Mennonite staple, passed down to the daughters through the classic cookbooks: Cook With Less or Mennonite Community Cookbook. To anyone else, the ingredients on my great aunt’s counter would seem random if not distasteful. Pineapple and strawberry Jell-O, with cream? And marshmallows? Don’t knock it ‘till you try it.
Bright pink and gelatinous, it was a ten-year-old's slime addiction come to life. Served cold and sickly sweet, marshmallow whip was doled out to the eagerly awaiting children, hopping from foot to foot in anticipation. The first bite coated your mouth with bouncy goo, a true candyland explosion. Even in my swallowing dress and my too-tight hair, my pink-stained tongue was enough to keep me happy for the two-hour drive home.
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