If I were a vegetable, it would have to be a potato. Why you ask? Well, for one reason, I kind of look like a potato, especially when I’ve been working in the garden. I’m covered with dirt just like a newly harvested spud. But the main reason is because I’m a mother. Here’s a different take on Mother’s Day potatoes.
Mothers and Potatoes
Unlike other humans, it’s well known that mothers have eyes in the back of their heads. We always know where our kids are and what they’re doing. Potatoes are covered with eyes too. Are you beginning to see how mothers and potatoes are alike?
Plus, potato plants are pretty ordinary looking flora. A cursory look around the garden and one might mistake a potato plant for a tomato-less tomato or even a weed. Like many moms, I’ve had to make sacrifices for my kids. When my children were in rapid growth periods and needed new clothes, my wardrobe suffered. That’s when I felt most like an ordinary looking potato plant.
But mostly I think I’m a potato because, like many mothers, I feel underappreciated. When we think about it, potatoes are underappreciated too. This is never more apparent than when ordering from a restaurant menu. Choices are categorized as “meat” or “vegetarian” dishes. The lowly potato is relegated to side dish status.
Potato Benefits
Yet, potatoes are bombshells of nutrients. They contain more potassium than bananas and half of our daily requirement of Vitamin C. Potatoes are an important source of magnesium, Vitamin B6, and iron. They are loaded with carbohydrates which fuel our bodies and as long as we don’t pile on the fat, the average potato only has 110 calories.
I have no doubt that when my children are shoveling french fries into their hungry mouths, they’re not really thinking about the wholesome goodness spuds provide. Likewise, they’re also not thinking about the wholesome goodness mothers provide. You have to admit, the parallel between potatoes and mothers is becoming more evident.
And like mothers, no two potatoes are alike. They both come in all shapes and sizes. And, rarely, do we find a perfect one among the bunch. But potatoes are there when we need them. Whether roasted, fried or mashed, potatoes add variety and flavor to our dinner plates. They’re a comfort food which fill us up and make us feel good. They complete the meal. That sounds like a mom to me!
However, the most compelling reason for comparing myself to a potato is the way society often overlooks the value of mothers. Mothers are multi-talented individuals who do everything from tending boo-boos to helping with math homework. We have to be loving and supportive one minute and a firm, rule-setting disciplinarian the next. Just as potato plants hide their true bounty underground, mothers are also a wealth of buried treasure.
So next time you’re sitting down to a meal of potato soup, gnocchi or shepherd’s pie, consider how different these entrees would be without potatoes. The lowly spud is the glue which holds these dishes together – much like a mother holds the family together.
Are you like a potato too?
