A few years before my mom passed away, she was diagnosed with celiac disease. Back then, gluten-free options were few and far between, and she became convinced there was gluten in just about everything… including ice cream.
Whenever we were out shopping, she’d start plotting.
“Let’s go through a drive-thru.”
She always wanted something she wasn’t supposed to have.
One day, she suggested an A&W Root Beer Float.
I did a little research and discovered the root beer and ice cream were actually gluten-free.
When I told her, she lit up.
It felt wonderfully rebellious.
The best part? She insisted we eat it there instead of bringing it home.
“Dad doesn’t need to know.”
It became our little secret.
Last week, I shared that it had been twenty years since my mom passed away. Saturday would have been her birthday.
Last year, I decided to celebrate her birthday with an A&W Root Beer Float.
Yesterday was the second annual celebration.
As I sat there with my float, I smiled at the memory of the woman who found so much delight in getting away with something she wasn’t actually getting away with.
Funny how a simple root beer float can hold so much love.
Sometimes we honor people with grand gestures.
Sometimes we honor them with flowers.
And sometimes we honor them with vanilla ice cream, root beer, and a quiet smile.
The sweetest traditions often begin with the smallest moments.
But first a nap 