From the editor: Thanks to the mamas and the papas
Right now, we’re between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
I hold the duality of this holiday in my hands. On the one, it’s a traditionally happy occasion for many families, a way to honor a loved one and celebrate their accomplishments and sacrifices. On the other hand, I know these days can be difficult for many people. Maybe your relative has passed, the relationship is fraught or some other complication. I get it.
When pondering what I could possibly write about Mother’s Day and/or Father’s Day that hasn’t already been said in a million other ways, I decided to research into the creation of the holiday that I’d literally never given a second thought to before this very moment. Did you know Mother’s Day was born just south of us in Grafton, W.Va.? The city is still home to the International Mother’s Day Shrine. I know I’ve driven through this area on multiple occasions through my travels, none the wiser that the birth of an international phenomenon was only a couple of hours from my backyard. This discovery led to a Google and Wikipedia rabbit hole that I spent researching random and seemingly unconnected topics. But back to Mother’s Day.
My earliest memories of the holiday include handmade cards and crafts carefully brought home from school on my bumpy, rural school bus route. I’m sure my mom still has some of these precious creations tucked in the corners of her home. I distinctly recall a pen I “made” in the second grade. I use the term pen quite loosely, though, because we really wrapped a standard ballpoint with green tape and attached a plastic flower to the non-business end. I know that thing is sitting in a penholder still, despite having dried up years ago.
No matter your connection to the day or the concept of motherhood or fatherhood in general, I hope you can find a way to pay homage to the caregiving types in your life. We’ve all had a teacher, mentor, leader, relative or some person in our life that has inspired us. I encourage you all to take the time to thank this person. I try my best to thank those in my life who I truly appreciate for their deep connections and contributions, but I think we can all always do a little more to spread kindness to those who matter most to us.
In this edition, we have stories of strong bonds, both familial and not.
We celebrate a Washington staple’s birthday: Shorty’s Lunch turns 90 this year! Well, maybe. The current owners aren’t precisely sure when it was founded. The fourth generation of the Alexas family is helping to run the joint, which serves up classic eats that used to fuel the steel mill workers getting off their late-night shifts: hot dogs with their signature chili and fries with gravy. Stepping into the Washington location is like stepping right back in time: not much has changed on the inside, and that’s how the customers like it. It’s an area institution. I hope the story makes you just as hungry as it made me.
I hope you enjoy these stories centered around family and connection. If you have the chance, tell the ones you love how you feel as often as you can. Take care, stay safe and see you in the next edition.