Meal Trains Are About More Than Meals
Now more than ever, neighbors should come together to help one another — especially the babies, and their exhausted parents
Though our neighbor wasn’t eating with us, we felt her presence as we dined. Vegetable dumplings — lightly fried and filled with mushrooms, cabbage, onions and carrots — were not a typical weekday dinner in our household, but according to Tangie, in her culture they were comfort food. Our neighbor hadn’t meant to stay long when she came by to drop off the dish, but our excited toddler had wanted to show off his new baby sister. From there, and for the fifth time that week, my husband and I animatedly retold the story of Molly’s birth. Then, Tangie and I started talking about breastfeeding. My neighbor offered advice, and talked about her own birthing experience at the same hospital some years earlier. At some point, we all began candidly discussing how parenthood can affect a marriage. Arran lit a fire. Tangie took off her shoes and curled up on the couch.
Now, my husband and I continued the conversation as we sucked down dumpling after dumpling. Swimming in a gingery brown sauce, they were delicious. So had been the company. Prior to that night, I might’ve described Tangie as an acquaintance. From that evening on, I’ve counted her as a friend.
