Reflection for 27 Feb 2021

REFLECTION FOR SATURDAY 27 FEB 2021

I spent the first sixteen years of my life living in Kirkcaldy.

You may know that in years gone by Kirkcaldy was known for the smell that was in the air in a certain part of the town.................the smell of linoleum, which was of course immortalised in the poem by Mary Campbell Smith “The Boy in the Train”

The poem speaks of a wee boy looking out the window of the train on his way to see his granny, and the last verse says,

“There’s a gey wheen boats at the harbour mou’, And eh! dae ya see the cruisers? The cinnamon drop I was sookin’ the noo Has tummelt an’ stuck tae ma troosers. . . I’ll sune be ringin’ ma Gran’ma’s bell, She’ll cry, ‘Come ben, my laddie’, For I ken mysel’ by the queer-like smell That the next stop’s Kirkcaddy!”

There was another smell that emanated in that part of the town, the smell of fresh baked bread. For just near the harbour was the Mother’s Pride factory”

Mother’s Pride was a white plain loaf, and it was the only bread my granny brought, and I recall many a lovely afternoon sitting with her sharing a bowl of Heinz tomato soup and a plate of plain bread and butter.

There was something special and comforting about this simple action. Sitting with my granny who loved me, and who was the person who first pointed me to Jesus.

I think of her often, I was named after her, and to be in her presence offered a place of security and refuge in what was often a difficult and bewildering childhood in the family home. My granny showed me a glimpse of what life could be, for her love was unconditional, and that love brought nourishment to my soul.

In later years I came to understand that this was the love of Jesus, the Bread of Life that she shared with me, and in turn I have tried my best to share with others.

May God bless your day,

Elizabeth