The Prototype

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting my maternal grandmother MuDear. She is 93 years old and she still gets around and is very opinionated about a lot of things. She has always been my heart my entire life. MuDear was a very gifted seamstress. If she had grown up in another time or another part of the country she might have even been a famous designer. She could look at any picture and make a pattern and sew it. Growing up my mom would travel and Mu Dear would come and stay with us while she was out of town. I knew she would make all of our favorite foods and we would watch our shows together and laugh and laugh. When we were growing up her hair was so long but, she wore it in a bun on the top of her head. She had the very best laugh, she still does! Don't get it twisted if you disobeyed she would beat the brakes off yo ass... but then she would also take care of you when you were sick. I would always ask my momma " Why don't you make the hot lemon drink when I get a cold like MuDear." My mom insisted there was liquor in there. So I want to thank you MuDear for teaching a sista about a Hot Toddy before it was en vogue.

Now my MuDear has dementia and sometimes when I go visit her she doesn't know me. I know a lot of folks reading this wish they had living grandparents and even have lost parents. I am grateful to still have both my maternal grandmother and grandfather living. I don't have experience with that type of loss. However, when my MuDear doesn't know me it destroys me. This time I was more prepared hoping she would have a good day. I had told Bae how upset it makes me when she doesn't know me. He couldn't really relate because his grandparents had been gone for so many years. Well she was having a spectacular day. She said she didn't know me at first and then she said "I know YOU!" She usually doesn't talk much but that day she had a lot to say. She even managed to tell me " You need to get you a husband!" She said I only needed one husband. I told her I would get to work on that." MuDear reminds me of who I am and where I come from. She is still so beautiful and graceful. I remember a time I drove to visit her and my grandfather and they were out. My Auntie told me they were at the church probably. So I went to the church. MuDear was talking to a lady and when she saw me she told the lady "I got to go my Grandbaby has come to pick me up." She told my Granddaddy "Hey AB I am going with Kym see ya later." Even now at 93 MuDear still likes to go. My cousin used to call her my Auntie's road dog.

I was sharing with Bae the other night how much I feel the need to be creative. I now know this comes from my MuDear. My cousin and sister friend Elonia calls me Edward Scissorhands. She says that I can cut up anything and make it look like it came off the rack. I realize I can't go long without doing something with my hands. I see these same traits in my cousins. My grandma used to make the best tea cakes. I wish I had learned to make them. But, I am grateful for all the wonderful lessons MuDear taught me. As I write this memories flood my mind. In this thing called life things sometimes bubble up. The older I get the more I look in the mirror and see the face of my momma. The older my momma gets the more I see the face of MuDear. When I make something with my own hands and it is beautiful I find myself saying" Go On Kymira!!!" That is my MuDears voice when she would take on a difficult task when done she would laugh that precious laugh and say "Go On Willie Mae!!"

I don't know how many years the Lord will give MuDear. I know the day will come when she won't know me at all. But, today I celebrate a legacy of a woman who lived her life to take care of her family. She is a beautiful woman with a beautiful spirit but honey please believe she did not take shit from anybody. She would tell you completely off if you found yourself on the other end of some nonsense. So today I dedicate this blog to a woman who was before her time.....MuDear I love you to the moon and back and when you don't remember me I will always remember you and what you taught me. Willie Mae Allen the epitome of a lifetime of running shit!! WWRS who are some women who inspired you? Feel free to comment or email me I want to hear your stories about the women who molded you into the person you have grown up to be.