Our immediate family will meet at my center in Alvarado. My center is the most spacious for the family gatherings, which now numbers only eighteen. Ages run from 93 to 2 years of age.
After we share a traditional Thanksgiving dinner I’ll announce that it is PORCH TIME and we will all gather around the comfortable living area to share our most memorable “Warm Heart” experience since we last met. I will have my twelve year old great-granddaughter read the story PORCH TIME WITH AUNT MAUDE and then I’ll ask each family member, “And what have you done this past year that made you feel warm inside?” Even the next to youngest, Hayden age 4, will be included to share his story.
Where did I get the idea for this ritual that we will be sharing? That’s what I’m going to share with you now.
It was shortly after my husband died in 2002 that I was searching for a project to keep me busy. I decided to do a community service. Our local library was in need of a new building, books and miscellaneous projects that would come up during the process of its completion. I invited all the local writers to come meet at my center and we would share and write our memorable experiences. I would publish the book of their stories, after we as a group would edit and critique each other’s work. It took a year. We titled the book, I Remember. The book had 42 stories. The writers sold the books and the library was given all the proceeds of the sales. Yesterday I ran across the book. I picked it up to reread some of the stories. That’s when I got the idea to make this Thanksgiving Day a time for all to share their “Warm Heart” story. The following story was written by Louise Forsythe; an African American that is secretary at one of the local churches. It is one of my favorites.
What made Aunt Maude so memorable and endearing? It was the patient and understanding way she had with everyone she met. Every summer my parents, older sister, brother and I spent a week’s vacation with her. We also went to visit her on many weekends when my dad didn’t have to work.
My memories of Aunt Maude began when I was a small child. She lived by herself in a small farming community on the outskirts of town. She wasn’t lonely because she knew everyone in the surrounding area. Her place was a haven for people who needed advice and encouragement. Her role was that of a counselor and psychologist without a degree. When someone drove up in her yard and mother asked who it was, she replied. “They just need a little porch time.” She was the first one there when people were sick and needed care. She also made the best peach cobbler I’ve ever eaten. “I make it with love,” she explained when I asked her for the recipe after I grew up and began cooking for my family.
My first ‘porch time’ I had with Aunt Maude was when I was five years old. My mother, brother, sister and I were spending a weeklong summer vacation with her. I was a restless youngster and always wanted to know the why of everything, which she understood. My brother and sister were allowed to go down to the creek behind her house to catch crawfish, but I had to stay behind. “When you are older you can go, but today it’s too dangerous and after this rain you might slip into the muddy water,’’ my mother explained. “I’ll let you help me make gumbo if they catch a lot,” she said, trying to appease me. I felt excluded and was still pouting. Aunt Maude turned to mama and said, “This young one needs some porch time.”
Vaguely, I knew what that meant, but hadn’t yet experienced it for myself. I was apprehensive but felt honored, too.
Taking my hand she led me out on the porch where her rocking chair was. She lifted me on her lap and began telling me how fortunate I was. ‘I’m going to tell you my secret, how you can find the warm place in your heart,” she began.
“You are only able to feel the warm place in your heart when you are good and listen to your mama because she only wants what is best for you. One day you will understand. Your heart only gets warm when you do things with love and sincerity. If you say or do anything because you have to or are lazy, then you won’t feel the warmth, you will feel cranky and unhappy.” She patiently explained.
“You have a warm heart auntie. I know, cause I feel it.” I said as I looked up into her eyes and nestled closer to her bosom. She continued to tell me stories about what people should do to get a warm heart.
Over the years when I needed guidance I would return to have porch time with her. My visits became further and further apart as I became busy raising my family. But I knew she was still there helping and encouraging others.
When I received the call that she was dying I went to see her for the last time. It was a three-hour drive to get there. All the while, I kept hoping she was still alert so I could tell her again how much I had learned from her over the years.
She was in the bedroom surrounded by the many friends she had helped. Her white hair was neatly combed; her eyes were closed when I entered the room. I took a seat beside her bed and softly whispered, “Aunt Maude it’s Louise.” I could see her frail body stir for a moment. As I watched her breathe softly, I wondered if she knew that I was there.
“I need to thank you again for teaching me how to experience a “warm heart,” I said, trying to hold back the tears. Her shoulder began twitching as I gently took her hand. I felt her fingers move and somehow I knew we made contact. At that moment all the stories, advice and encouragement she gave me surfaced. I was experiencing a rerun of our porch times.
Aunt Maude dies at the age of 102 leaving a legacy for all that knew her, her shared secret of how to live life with a warm heart.
Wishing you a warm heart
Helene Hadsell
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What a wonderful story...makes me long for my own Aunte Maude.
Kelley
Thank you. What a beautiful story! Written in a lovely way, you can feel it.
What a heartfelt "FOOD FOR THOUGHT!" I will treasure it and share it with everybody especially with my Family and TOASTMASTERS FRIENDS! May the REST OF YOUR LIFE BE THE BEST OF YOUR LIFE! REMY RIBOROZO ALOHA and MAHALO!
Helen - Thank you for sharing your warm and wonderful story. As I, again, come upon another holiday season without my parents who have passes on, your story showed me how I can still have them here by feeling in my heart the warmth they had always brought to me through their short years here on earth.
I have spent many years attending holiday dinners at peoples houses that I barely know since people don't want me to spend the holidays alone. Although I am very grateful for their hospitality during those holiday dinners, I have always left still feeling so alone since the holidays died when my parents did. But, this year I know if I hold onto my warm-heart that my parents love always gave me, this upcoming holiday won't be so...cold.
Bless you, Helen and thank you for sharing your warm heart.
~Journi
Your story is great! It seems what we miss most is the things that give us a warm heart. People now days do not take the time for porch time. People our age have learned from our elders that porch time gives us balance in life. I can only hope that my children take time for porch time and find their warm heart. Thanks again. p.s. I hope that someone will read this and take some porch time,find their warm heart and extend a helping hand to a friend in need. Happy Holidays all!
I loved the story. I am tender hearted and I shared a few tears. This story reminds me of my own Mom. Betty
Dear Helene...
Thanks for sharing the lovely stories with so many. My wife and I enjoyed them very much,it brings back so many memories of our past years. Our love to you and may God continue to bless you as He has my wife and me.
John
This is a wonderful story that can help everyone. I'm sure that the aunt Maude in this story lived to be 102 because of all the help she gave to the many people she encounterred. And that warm heart she had gave her alot of energy and health to outlast most people. Maybe this would be a health lesson for all of us.
Hello Helene
I didn't get to read your story yet.I've been ill since Monday,I think it's the flu so yyou know who's gonna be alone tomorrow.But I didn't want to let that stop me from sending a,"Happy Thanksgiving" to you and your family.
Kate
To you and yours,"Happy Thanksgiving."
To Everyone
I hope you all have a,"HAPPY THANKSGIVING."
Be Blessed Bertajean
Thank you so much for sharing your "warm heart" and "porch time" with all of us. The story helps us realize how really close we are to each other and how much we need each other.
That was a great story helene it makes you stop and appreciate
the many memories you have from years gone by.
Thanks for such a heartwarming story.
Like some others who have no Aunt Maude left to share those warm
Porch Times with; I'll think of my own past warmers with family and friends, and wish you and your family memories to last a lifetime this Thanksgiving day, and during the Holiday season.
Be blessed, all of you!!
Chauncey
Your auntie Maude knew that helping others in a selfless way brings a satisfaction of the heart and the soul.
For myself as my 2 sons and their family gather for dinner. Everyone adult and child must declare why he is thankful this year.We all can find something every time.
Thank you for sharing you aunt Maude with me. God bless
Francine
Helen,
Your porch time story was wonderful and something I hope many families will partake in this holiday season and during the dinner times all year long. It's so important to get the family back to listening to the days events. Thank you for all that you do, God bless you.
thank you for share you are story ,that was great,but i would like to say happy thanksgiving for all of you ,and every one ,once again Happy Thanksgiving 2009
HAPPY THANKSGIVING,HELENE,
I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO READ THE INFORMATION YOU SEND ME FROM TIME TO TIME I hope and wish you and your family a very safe and wonderful HAPPY THANKSGIVING Season.Well i have been out of work for some time now,But,I have been trying to stay positive that and expect the best results.
you are wonderful and cheer my life
and i hope you have wonderful thanks giving
and all your business be very sucessful
and i do have confidence with your world that i read online
you are very nice person to know
and i thank you very much for your idea and name it claim it
and belie it and receive it
and i will do as my best to do win
and i will win super prize this year
because of your word give to me strenght and idea
and will to do
This gorgeous life rememberance grounds us back into what is REAL in life.
Shows us that whatever our background or where we're from, we all want the SAME thing in life. LOVE...to give it, and get it...in balance.
Thanks Helene for all your wisdoms since I joined your group and although I'm in Australia and Thanksgiving is not a tradition here...my LOVE to you just the same for Your Thanksgiving.
Cheers ALL...Susan in OZ.
Reading this did a great job of warming my heart <3
I am wishing you all life has to offer...
(¨`·.·´¨) from
`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨) my
(¨`·.·´¨)¸.·´heart
`·.¸.·´ to yours
-:¦:-Peace -:¦:-¸¸.·´*Joy¸¸.·´*-:¦:-Prosperity-:¦:-
-:¦:-¸¸.·´*Love¸¸.·´*-:¦:Light¸¸.·´*-:¦:-
-:¦:-¸¸.·´*Grace¸¸.·´*-:¦:-
-:¦:-And Great Health to Enjoy it All-:¦:-
Take Care, God Bless and Create Miracles!
Hi Helene
Thank you so very much for crossing my path, I am deeply grateful. Wishing you and your precious family a wonderful Happy Thanksgiving!!!! 
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. My heart was deeply touched as I read this story. I literally had to hold back the tears.... The story was simple yet I felt the love and compassion through the words of this story and it tingled through out my whole being. I am deeply grateful to have read it. I just discovered your work and I'm doing as much as I possibly can to implement your wisdom into my life
An extremely wonderful story, it makes us wish
we all had a 'Aunt Maude' in our lives, where I'm sure life would now be a different situation for some of us.
All the very best in your 'PORCH' TIMES with blessedness
for ever.
Dave.
DEAREST HELENA, THANK YOU FOR SHARING WITH ME THAT WARM AND LOVING STORY. I COULD NOT FIGHT BACK THE TEARS SO I JUST LET IT FLOW. YOUR STORY REMINDED ME OF MY DEAR MOTHER THAT PAST AWAY IN 2000 AND HOW MUCH LOVING TIME SHE HAD FOR MY DAUGHTER THAT IS NOW 33 YEARS OLD. THANK YOU HELENA AND BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
I just wanted to say Hi and thank you for that very beautiful and heartfelt story. I have always given to friends and family whenever I could and fortunately I have very loving family that is always there when I need help, thank god for warm hearts.
What a soothing story. A lesson for mankind that they are born to spread love, kindness, happiness, compassion and that they divert from this path of truth and start focussing on things which ultimately hurt ourselves and the people around us. Wishing you many more healthy years and may we have the good fortune of hearing many more such stories from you. May you have a Divine Thanksgiving.
Rakesh.
Beloved Helene,
I was checking my e-mail before taking off to a friend's Thanksgiving dinner. This friend is like a daughter to me, and is going through a difficult time because her daughter was murdered last Mother's Day. My friend did not feel up to making a Thanksgiving dinner this year, however she opened her house up to be used by all single people who did not have a family to be with this season. She invited about 50 people.
I am taking over a turkey with all the stuffing, corn bread, rolls, and a pumpkin pie, and decided to have everyone at the table(s) share their favorite "warm heart" story of what happened in their life this year. This will be a party of food for the body as well as food for the soul; a time for reflection as well as gratitude for all of our blessings.
Thankyou, dear one, for sharing this story with me at just the perfect time. May you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration.
With much love,
Barb Stube
This story is a wisdom of life. Warmth of a human heart has the strongest power and the biggest rewards of life as to make someone happy, to make someone's ways of living better - is the biggest achievement and the hardest role we can ever take or imagine of.
Thank you so much, Helene. Have a happy Thanksgiving day!
Olga
Hello , it is Thanksgiving Day! I'm happy with my extra day off, and I am planning to doing something fun that will probably involve a car trip and seeing something new in Eunice I haven't seen yet.
You write something new at Thanksgiving?
YOUR AUNT SEEM TO BE A GAURDIAN ANGEL,SHE HAD A HEART OF GOLD , AND WILL BE REMEMBERED BY ALOT OF PEOPLE, THIS MADE ME FILL SO GOOD INSIDE,THERE WAS SO MUCH LOVE THERE,I COULD FILL IT ,I FELT LIKE I WAS THERE, THANK YOU FOR SENDING ME THIS TO READ ,YOU ARE FOLLOWING IN YOUR AUNTS FOOTSTEPS, BECAUSE YOU BRING SO MUCH JOY TO ME AND TO OTHERS AS WELL. SINCERLY DONNA PEREZ
Wonderful!
Stunning, I didn't heard about this topic until now. Thanks!
This story is a wisdom of life. Warmth of a human heart has the strongest power and the biggest rewards of life as to make someone happy, to make someone's ways of living better - is the biggest achievement and the hardest role we can ever take or imagine of.
Thank you so much, Helene. Have a happy Thanksgiving day!
Olga