Momma

I thank my momma to this day. Rich woman, she birthed two before me. My older sister and older brother. She has the smile of the sun if you ask me. Eyes a hazel brown, definitely nothing less than beautiful. I always admired my mommas' eyes. I look through the pictures of her and how vibrant of a person she is. I mean her smile would go from ear to ear, who knows what was going through her mind, she just knew she was happy.

My mom's smile always stayed the same through the years, even in the darkest moments and unfortunate events. She was always a woman who stood by her foundation, her home. Momma and Daddy. There is nothing on this earth that could stop my mom from seeing her parents. She has different lighting when it comes to going home. There she goes, with that smile from ear to ear

"Girl I gots to make sure my suitcase is ready to go, I'm going to the airport tomorrow." Me: "Do you need a ride?" "No, your brother said he will take me, thank you, girl."

My mom is the only woman on this earth that I don't mind calling me "girl", oh yes we "girl" this and "girl" that all day and night. The precious relationship I carry with my mom. She would always tell me

"be careful lil one"

That has always been her nickname for me. And even until this day, she tells my brother

"You better make sure my baby is okay, I'm not playing boy"

So precious she is. We have had our times, but there has never been a time where we haven't bounced back. One thing my mom makes very clear, that no matter what she loves her kids, her baby's and her grandbabies. No matter her mistakes, she is still great. I am and will always be grateful for the woman and times that have molded me into who I am today.

"One thing I dont play about is my kids, grandkids and my momey honey, mmm hmm, you can mess with anything else na, but them three right there, mm."

I was the youngest and the smallest, everywhere. Born at 6 months and 3 lbs, May 16, 1988, 1:03 a.m. I absolutely love the early mornings. My big brother always asks me to this day "Hey, you member you was in that box?" Cracks me up every time. My family said they would dress me in Cabbage Patch clothes (You all remember those dolls?). My uncle was so big and tall 6'5 ish (rest his soul) that he would just hold me in the palm of his hand my mom tells me. I can't even see that seeing as I am so tall and big now, such a blessing.

I was the one where every Sunday in church, I would fall asleep, right on momma's lap. She would make it as comfortable for me as she could and keep on waving her fan if she was hot. Nodding her head, listening to the word, saying amen at every word that gave her assurance that although hard times fell, the sun would always shine and God would always deliver. That was about the only thing at the time getting momma through, Mt Sinai Baptist Church. Reverend Morgan, and Sister Mildred (rest her soul). Boy, do I remember those days vividly.

I was in a few choirs in my life, I enjoyed the songs of the streets paved with gold, the thought of going to some paradise sounded better to me than sitting in church listening to the scripture I didn't even understand. I believe that is why I would always fall asleep, I didn't understand what they were trying to tell me at the time. All I knew is that Reverend Morgan would have ice cream sandwiches for us after church and a fried chicken dinner for sure.

Not knowing that the same gold Simba held, I held, and even hold within me now, I found myself around a lot of different religions in my life. I have had the privilege of being around Christian, Methodist, Catholic, Morman, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness, Buddism, and Jewish communities. Each has taught me so much about who I am now. It is now, after probably 5 or 6 hundred ice cream sandwiches and chicken dinners later I realize what they were all trying to tell me. No matter the title, the difference in teaching, and so on. The I seek gold is right here within my very own being.