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Blessings and light.
Sometimes, you just gotta stop drinking the kool-aid. Wake up. It’s time to live. Make changes in your life. Get out of the box, trapezoid, octagon – whatever shape you stuck in – get outta there and don’t ever go back. Decide to thrive and no longer just exist. Make authenticity your #currentmood all the time. Choose growth, all the time, every time. Don’t be different; do different.
When I look back on my childhood I remember two things my grandma loved especially the most during the day: drinking her coffee in her little kitchen and watching her soap operas on CBS.
As a 36 year-old woman I still have an unspoken allegiance for The Young and The Restless, The Bold and The Beautiful, As The World Turns and Guiding Light because of my grandma Lena.
She knew every in and out and every crazy storyline taking place in those fictional cities of soap opera land. And I knew that from 12:30 pm until 4 pm, my little brown tail needed to find something fun and quiet to do while she sat back and got down with her soaps.
Being that we were country folk from a little small town called Eatonton in middle Georgia, she made sure we finished up dinner (codeword for lunch) before the soaps came on so she was ready to watch “her stories.” Supper would come later in the evening (codeword for dinner).
Her commentary on the latest and scandalous events happening in the shows would always crack me up. “Oh, that Nikki with her nasty self and her fast tail, she oughta be ashamed of herself sleeping with that man when she know she married to Victor” and “That old rascal Jack, he’s just a crook” and so on and so forth.
Her commitment to these t.v. soaps and watching people who always never got a happy ending (because if soaps had a happy ending where would the drama be and who wants to watch that) made me feel connected to her in a special way. In my best way, my young 10 year-old self was ride or die with her as a neophyte soap opera fan, agreeing about Nikki’s adulterous ways, shaking my head at Jack’s witty and sly behavior and committed to these storylines because my grandma Lena was committed to these story lines.
I don’t know when she started watching soaps. But they made a connection to her life and whether she found escape through them or just some comfortable relaxation, Lena loved her soaps and I loved her for loving me and letting me watch them with her.
Later on in my teens I realized how crazy these soaps were as I tried to create allegiance to some ABC and NBC shows but nobody ended up staying happy! And I wanted people to be happy! I wanted people to have their happily ever afters but many of the characters just seemed to be waking up with their morning afters from plenty of bedroom romps, devious business schemes and other “what the what” storylines. I eventually had to hang up my soap opera watching jacket. It was just all too much for me.
But I often think of my grandma when I think of soaps.
I think about how much she loved watching hers. I think about the daily commitment she had during the week to see her stories. I think about how she’d talk to me about the characters and ask me what I thought. I think about the memories I have of her and I am grateful.
This Saturday marks two years since she breathed her last breath this side of heaven and went to be with the Lord in heaven. My grief and my mourning over her death these last two years have taken me through a journey that I would have never fashioned for myself but I also wouldn’t trade for anything because I am completely a different woman, writer and human being as a result. I’m a better Melody even though I became a broken Melody. I’m a stronger Melody even though I was a wounded Melody. That pain of grief clarified and changed my life in a positive way. It was hellish but it purified me like gold being placed through fire.
My family has a shared love for Lena Mae Brown and also a shared suffering in our grief and mourning in losing her. I remember being in Eatonton right after she died and going over to my great aunt Essie Mae’s home because I needed some air as my family was going through things at my grandma’s and I was starting to feel very anxious and overwhelmed.
My great aunt Lucille, pictured top left, my great aunt Essie Mae, pictured bottom left and my grandmother Lena Mae, pictured right.
My heart was beating and I just wanted to run away. I asked Essie Mae if I could come over and she gladly welcomed me. She’s a beautiful soul, has likely never met a stranger in her life and has loved me as long as I can remember. She’s two years younger than my grandma and they were two peas in a pod, both calling each other “Mae” when they’d talk to one another.
I spent lots of time at her home when I was little, having sleepovers with her granddaughters, my cousins April and Hope, and playing as little girls do. Going to her home I found my way to her bedroom and just laid down. Nostalgia, memories and sadness flooded my heart all at the same time. I found some rest but I couldn’t get away from the reality that someone I loved had died, this was true and my life would never be the same.
I wanted to just drive down the old Georgia country red clay roads in the city I’d spent so many summers of my life in and just find some kind of freedom and escape from the grief and mourning that was fervently pursuing me. I wanted the sun to wash over my face and I wanted the blueness of the clouds to wrap me up in love and take me to a place where my heart didn’t feel so broken anymore.
Grandmothers are some kind of special. Mothers are the first friends many of us have in life. Grandmothers are those magical she-roes that our mothers come from and in my eyes my grandma Lena was an automatic legend to me. She was just some kind of beautiful wonderful to me. She was a second mama and she was also my friend. Her death hurt me deeply.
My cousin Brian and my mom came some time later and picked me up from my great aunt’s place. I remember sitting in the back of Brian’s car as my mom and him talked about funeral arrangements and life insurance and funeral costs. I laid down and started crying softly.
They both quieted their talking as my mom reached back and touched me with her hand. My tears were my language that I just didn’t want it all to be the way it was.
But it was that way.
Death was real.
My pain was a clear indicator of that.
What I’ve found to be true: Sometimes life can bite your butt. It hurts, it sucks, it definitely is not fair but it happens and will continue to happen this side of heaven. Some wrestle with why God allows tragedy and struggle to come into our lives. Others feel God sits on a throne with a shiny thunderbolt just ready and aiming to impart destruction and pain into our lives. Some think he’s dead or powerless and not able to do anything to help anyway so why even bother to bring him into the conversation.
I think the butt bites in life are a reflection of a world that’s in a pretty awful tailspin because of the evil, death and human brokenness that permeates everything around us. They bring with them effects that have consequences greater than we can imagine. God enters this tailspin to give us hope, freedom and eyes to see that the bites won’t always be with us. If we are willing to look closely, we’ll see him actively rescuing, redeeming, healing and restoring.
What I’ve also found to be true: We need to keep moving forward. In the midst of all the struggle, even if you have to crawl your way through it, keep moving. At least you are moving a few steps away from the butt bites that feel like they’ve taken the very breath out of you. Sometimes you may not feel like you have anything in your tank to make one foot or knee move ahead of the other. When you lack the energy, God will carry you. I know this to be true because he’s carried me more times than I can count.
Keep moving forward.
The bite marks will wear off eventually.
When I’m wanting her to listen to me or give me something I want or have her stop telling me something I told her I already know, “mama” is what I call her. Mamas just have a flavor about them. When I’m laughing with her, laughing at her or giving her my perspectives on the world and just shooting the breeze, “momma” is how I see her. She’s the same lady that called me one day and asked, “Is your phone — that 229 number — still working?”
Me (curiously): “Um, yes.”
Momma: “We’ll, I’m just checking ‘cause it just rings and rings AND rings…”
Me: “That’s ‘cause I didn’t HEAR it so I could pick it up!”
Momma: “Oh, okay, well I’m just checking.”
She is a verified hot mess. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. My mom is one of my best friends. She gets me and I get her. I learned from her early on how to carry myself with grace, poise, intention and also enjoy life with plenty of humor and tons of wit. She is one of the wittiest people I know! She is the Queen of Wit. Man, she is sharp and brilliant and loving and so wonderfully amazing. She’s been a great mom to me.
Not everyone can raise a daughter as a single parent with God’s guidance the way she has with me. Every accomplishment, success, endeavor and privilege I’ve been afforded took place from the lift she gave me to climb upon steps she laid in advance for me. She sacrificed her needs to make sure I had mine met.
My mom was one of the first two African American civilian employees to integrate the City of Atlanta’s Vehicles for Hire division in the 1970s. She’s an Advanced Toastmaster and can lay it down with her oratory and sharp communication skills. She’s served as the president of her homeowner’s association for several years and leads with style as an usher at her church. Oh, and the woman can bust a baaaad Michael Jackson moonwalk-ish routine when Thriller comes on. I have the video evidence to prove it. Incriminating? Maybe. Hilarious and will I plan to keep it to show my kids one day? Absolutely.
As I get older I’m thinking not just about the family I desire to build in my life but also the ways I plan to care for her and bless her as she gets older. When one of my books come out and it’s best selling and good things begin to happen, I can’t wait to give back to her plus so much more all that she’s blessed me with through her love and sacrifices. I am the woman I am today and in all the days that will come because of my mama.
We have a regular time to connect each week and chat about life, usually Sunday evenings. I missed last week and was trying to find a time this week to talk. She was picking Friday and Saturday night and I was like, “Mama, I am young and single. My evenings are busy…I’m am not sitting around with nothing to do.”
Her reply: “Well alright then Mel (in a slightly little huffy voice)! When do you want to talk???”
Me: “In the morning!”
We both are a mess.
I don’t know when I knew to call her auntie but I was young enough to know that’s who she was and who I needed her to be. My mama’s younger sister. The woman whose birthday is just two weeks ahead of mine. The breast cancer survivor. The one who shares a similar gentleness and heart on her sleeve as I do for the world around us. The lady who wants people to know about Jesus and uses opportunities to keep telling the world about him. The lady who has the same eyes and smile as my mom. The one whose kitchen cabinets I would crawl in when I was very little and play in after I’d go around, ask for and get the fuzzy fuzz lint balls in my Uncle Randy’s pockets. The woman I respect as my aunt but love as my “Auntie.” Aunties just have a swag about them.
She’s the same lady that told me once, “All these men who are downloading…this is just horrible Melody, downloading and all this stuff.”
I believe she meant to describe men who were on the “down low” hiding their bi-sexuality from the women they were sleeping with. But I knew what she meant and I was not going to say anything different.
Mamas & Aunties. They are some kind of amazing.
Originally written August 30, 2013.
What I’ve Learned Thus Far In My 36 Years & A Little Bit In Between…
Being beautiful means we see ourselves for ourselves. This is who I am and I am grateful for the “me” I am. Be who you are right now, this minute, in this moment right here. Beauty isn’t perfection or the lack of a little jiggle here and there. Beauty starts in the innermost, deepest parts of who we are and infiltrates out through our eyes, smiles, laughter, voices, personalities and so much more until the inner weaves itself indelibly to the outer.
Being authentic means we don’t hide. We don’t hide from who we are. We don’t hide from who we used to be. We choose to be real over being fake and we choose to live instead of almost living. We invite people into the gift of who we are authentically, intentionally and honestly so that incredible friendships and relationships can blossom out of us.
I am grateful for the “me” I am becoming. I must love me and know I am lovable and worthy of love. Love from others is simply bonus ice cream with my cake. Chocolate espresso gelato to be exact.
In life we have the gift of living as our true authentic and beautiful selves. Living means we “show up” to our lives and we commit to being in them all the way. Showing up means you let people see you for who you really are and you choose to engage in your life fully. You attend and be present in the life you’ve been gifted. It’s the difference between being a person who goes deep and intentionally with people and a person who goes wide and shallow with people. Do you show up or do you hide?
5. Growing:
I am grateful for the “me” I used to be. She taught me things I needed to know, I needed to learn so I could grow.
6. Becoming.
Being true means we see the beauty in us and the deficits. We choose to grow and pursue healing and freedom so we can get the most mileage out of these bodies, these gifts and these snazzy personalities that have intentionally been placed in us. I love to say things followed by “this is my truth.” Speaking what’s real, what’s true and what’s me. If there’s one gift I could give you this year that means the most to me it’s that you’d know your truth, live your truth and be your truth in everything that has anything to do with you. Live in it and keep on becoming.
I hope my words speak life to all who desire to live, not hide, love, show up, grow and become.
Choose to be present in your life because it makes this journey truly worth living.
There are songs that just feel like life when you hear them.
Songs that taste like a sunrise unfolding before your bedroom window at the point where night says hello to dawn and heads back to his star-filled hammock.
Songs that smell like honeyed coconut and touch like brand-new duvet covers, soft, comfortable, safe and inviting.
Songs like India.Arie’s “Strength Courage & Wisdom.”
I fell in love with this song more than a decade ago when her debut album hit the music world. We were all forever changed because of Ms. Arie and her melodic truth-telling.
I knew this song was a gem then. I still count it as a priceless treasure now. When I hear it, in those first few notes of the melody and the bass line I hear truth, I hear realness, I hear authenticity.
Then India starts to sing and I step into a moment of truth to agree with her words, embrace them as my own and sit down in the affirmations each verse gives me.
I’ve embraced these words in such a personal way that last weekend, at the closing retreat for an incredible 10 month leadership program I took part in, I decided to sing each and every word.
In front of 40+ people.
Without practicing.
Without music, so very A cappella.
On a whim. I literally decided to sing moments before I did.
Each of us in the program had the chance to share how the last 10 months changed us and what we learned about ourselves. I shared that the program helped me heal from deep losses and gave me incredible community in ways that I couldn’t have thought to ask for.
I also shared that this song, India’s song, came to mind that morning and reminded me that through this year, through the pains I had to process and heal from I could see that parts of me I thought I died were still with me. The strength, courage and wisdom I felt at times were lost to me had never left. They were just healing inside my heart, along with the rest of me that needed time, space and grace to recover from the wounds of grief that hurt but do lead to wholeness again.
I sang the whole freaking song. Verses 1, 2, chorus, the bridge and the vamp.
I was so nervous that I kept my eyes on the lyrics via my phone the entire time. I could hear the nerves in my voice at the beginning.
But they calmed down and I sang and I stood in vulnerability and in doing so, I believe I found a little bit more of myself in the process.
I found more of Melody in those melodies, standing behind that podium on a sunny Saturday morning in a Daytona Beach hotel where I let my story have its freedom in music and its freedom through me.
One melodie at a time.
Strength Courage & Wisdom by India.Arie
Here we go
Inside my head there lives a dream
That I wanna see in the sun
Behind my eyes, there is a me
That I’ve been hiding for much too long
‘Cause I’ve been too afraid to let it show
‘Cause I’m scared of the judgment
That may follow
Always puttin’ off my livin’ for tomorrow
It’s time to step out on faith
I gotta show my face
It’s been elusive for so long
Freedom is mine today
Gotta step out on faith
It’s time to show my face
Procrastination had me down
Look what I have found, I’ve found
Strength, courage and wisdom
It’s been inside of me all along
Strength, courage and wisdom
Inside of me
Behind my pride there lives a me
That knows humility
Inside my voice, there is a soul
And in my soul there is a voice
But I’ve been too afraid to make a choice
‘Cause I’m scared of the things
That I might be missin’
Runnin’ too fast to stop to listen
It’s time to step out on faith
I gotta show my face
It’s been elusive for so long
Freedom is mine today
Step out on faith
It’s time to show my face
Procrastination had me down
Look what I have found, I’ve found
Strength, courage and wisdom
It’s been inside of me all along
Strength, courage and wisdom
Inside of me
I close my eyes and I think
Of all the things that I wanna see
‘Cause I know now that I’ve opened up my heart
I know that anything I want can be
So let it be, so let it be
So let it be, so let it be
So let it be, so let it be
So let it be, so let it be
Strength, courage and wisdom
It’s been inside of me all along
Strength, courage and wisdom
It’s been inside of me all along
Now every day I pray for
Strength, courage and wisdom
Strength, courage and wisdom
Inside of me
I found it in me, I found it finally
I’m sure to keep it ’cause I like it, I say thank you
There is a white, fluffy and gregarious poodle in my neighborhood named Herbert.
Yes, Herbert the poodle.
Herbert is the size of a small horse.
Okay well, not really but he is tall for a dog. He is also very friendly. So friendly he might scare the pee out of you if you’re not paying attention and he comes galloping your way.
While walking with my neighbor Tamara one morning earlier in June, we were galloped at by Herbert. Good thing we were paying attention.
Here’s to all the Herbert poodles of the world: Thank you for bringing smiles to our faces. Sometimes it’s just the little things that we need. Little things that can be wrapped up into the exuberance of an energetic dog who makes you remember to be THANKFUL.
THANKFUL for what you have, which means gratitude has a home in your heart.
THANKFUL for what you need, which provides space for your dependence upon someone else, allowing humility and vulnerability to grow in you.
What are the “Herberts” in your life? How are the “little things” shaping your view of the world?
I feel good. My heart is well. My soul smiles. I am moving.
Moving where? Into the next chapter of my life, and excuse my semi-French, but it’s about dang-on time.
The last 10 months set me up beautifully to enter the next part of my story. My job gave me the chance to take part in a unique leadership development program with 40+ other co-workers. We were challenged to “do life differently” and engage with our stories and our hardships to help us grow more into the men and women God shaped us to be.
In this community of people from different walks of life, we shared our struggles, our triumphs and how through it all they were bringing us back to Jesus. I came face to face with the grief and mourning of several losses, some that I’d started to grieve two years ago and needed to grieve in new ways and others that I’d hadn’t had the space to grieve yet that came out in full-emotion.
Those 10 months were hard at times. They were relentless in the growth and changes they brought. But I found more of myself in the journey of “doing life differently”:
I found my writing voices – grieving, mourning, living, laughter, theology and culture.
I found my defined dreams and anchors for my hopes – career, relationships and writing projects.
I found my beauty – in the woman I became and the excitement for the woman who’s to come.
I found friendships – people who spoke life to me, journeyed with me and willingly stepped into the rawness and grittiness of my life and my pain, but also rejoiced in my new adventures and fun.
The gift of the last 10 months are priceless to me. I’m grateful for a work environment that provides a safe place for their people to grow professionally while also caring about our spiritual health. I was nurtured and healed.
I am changed forever because of this opportunity.
These 10 months provided rest for my weary soul, renewal as a missionary and healing through my losses. I was given room to simply “just be.” I wish every person in the world had the chance to experience a year of renewal, healing, personal development, life coaching, intentional relationships and safe community like our class did.
A place where vulnerability is welcomed and brokenness cherished.
To be known and fully know others: this is what the Lord wants us to experience in freedom with him and everyone else.
This is who he is.
This is who he wants us all to become.
One of my Instafriends Keilah gave a challenge this morning to list our blessings. Here’s what flowed from my heart:
Grateful for my life, the gift to love, the honor to write, the ability to be musical, the presence of people who love me, a future that’s crafted exactly for my story and a personal relationship with the one true and living God that keeps me on my toes with surprise and expectation each new day.
I’m thankful, living and growing still.
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