Each year many people make one or more New Year's Resolutions. Some are kept and some are not.
I thought about the making of New Year's resolutions. This year, the only one I am going to make is to continue to try and be thankful.
Considering what the nation has gone through, one might say "Bullard, aren't you being a bit 'Polyannish?'" You remember the movie classic" Pollyanna," the little girl who always looked on the bright side and, in so doing, caused others around her to look on the bright side?
Finding fault is easy and, as a very wise lady I once knew said to me, "Honey, some people are just born naturally discontent." Some people are. Most happy people don't create a lot of drama for themselves or others, but keep an eye on those who are discontent because they can take a one car funeral and make an issue out of it for themselves and, at least the funeral director if there's no one else present!
During this coming year, I am going to eat my black-eyed peas and greens with gusto. I am going to wish myself and those I hold most dear a Happy New Year before I turn in. Primarily, I am going to thank God for blessing me to see one more year.
Black eyed peas and greens. I will, once again, express to you why southerners, no matter the racial group, eat these on New Year's Day. Let me express, they are DELICIOUS if prepared correctly and that is a big factor. Black-eyed peas, rice (if you want it), collard greens and cornbread, all seasoned "just right," is good eating!
During the War Between the States, United States Federal General William Tecumseh Sherman promised US President Abraham Lincoln he would present Georgia to him as a conquered state of the Confederate States of America on Christmas 1864. He delivered. He also promised he would see to it that a "crow flying across Georgia" from Atlanta to Savannah would have to "carry his own rations in a carry bag," because the conquering troops would pillage and take all they could. They did.
In fact, there were only two places in the state not completely burned or pillaged in Sherman's famous march from Atlanta to the sea. Madison, Georgia because a relative of Sherman's former roommate at West Point lived there, and General Sherman swore that Madison, Georgia, was so beautiful he simply didn't have the heart to destroy it. It is a beautiful city. If you've never been there, I encourage you to visit.
When General Sherman and his troops reached Savannah, the citizens of Savannah, an old and very advanced city culturally, rather than meeting their conquerors with disdain, Savannah's citizens met them with graciousness, bringing gifts of flowers, food, offering invitations for entertainment and some of the finest homes for hosting the Federal conquerors. Now, to use a good old southern expression, what they did, for most, was "sincerely insincere," but they did it just the same. It saved their city from destruction.
New Year's Day 1865 dawned bleak for most of the conquered state of Georgia not too much to eat. Food was not plentiful. However, Sherman and his troops felt that dried field peas were only good for livestock food and most were unsure of what collard greens were. The conquered citizens of Georgia soaked their dried black-eyed peas, picked their collards, and if they could find some seasoning meat, they prepared a nutritious and filing meal. This is the reason to this day that black-eyed peas and greens remain the favored New Year's Day meal for the citizens of the south.
In closing, I leave you with part of the lyrics of one of my very favorite Stephen Foster songs. It says it all.
"Let us pause in life's pleasures
And count its many tears
While we all sup sorrow with the poor
There's a song that shall linger
Forever in our ears,
Oh! Hard times come again no more
This the song, the sigh of the weary
Hard times, hard times, come again no more
Many days you have lingered
Around my cabin door
Oh! Hard times come again no more."
From the Eight Mile Still on the Woodpecker Route north of White Springs, wishing you a day filled with joy, peace and above all, lots of love and laughter. Happy New Year!!