I live in awe and celebration of our 'specialness' and uniqueness as human beings. Consequently, I have a catalogue of many fantastic personalities, each with its own signature quirkiness, stored in an abundant repository of “characters” in my mind!
She was “Ma” to everyone, regardless of perceived or real “status”. It didn’t matter who you were, you would be treated with exactly the same type of gruff, practical and generous kindness as anyone else.
She entertained academic and religious celebrities, “high-class” folks from any and all communities. Around the SAME dining table, she fed the homeless and many who were vulnerable and helpless. There was always a different child on the spare bed in my bedroom throughout the years. Once, one young beautiful orphan girl came, stayed, grew up, got married and had a wonderful life!
Though Ma was the least “educated” in a family of high-level academics, she was by far the wisest! Her mind was as wide open as her heart. Her sense of fairness and respect toward all humans was a beautiful thing to watch as a child.
Not only did I learn snippets of truth in sayings, slogans, “memes” (before they were “invented”) mostly created by her, I also experienced “how” she lived life.Her words and her attitude were in synch. What she said, she meant and what she meant, she said.
Just occurred to me … I can’t ever remember her using the word “LOVE” but her life was a living testimony to what perfectly-imperfect, true, human love could be.
She was humble, real, giving, powerful, motivated and fueled by PURE love and a pit-bull determination to help, however she could.
She did not judge! She was busy SHOWING (not talking). Loving – making a difference in lives, one life at a time.
"People is People!"
"What’s in you’s gotta come out!"
“Your conscience is your pillow.”
“Nothing’s forever.”
“Be in awe of no one. Respect everyone.”
“Carrying unforgiveness and strife is like carrying a “dead man”, a rotting corpse on your back.”
“There’s one God, and it ain’t you or me!”
She’s been gone for over 30-something years yet connection to her through memories is even stronger now than before. I was a child before. I am now her age when I was a child. Her words “grew me up”, in her physical absence.
What a gift the ability to make and recall memories is! We can dive in there and splurge on gazillions of happy memory-bank moments! If I could be a fraction of the woman she was, I would be humbly honored.
Thank you for hearing my heart-story about “Ma”!
Image Sources:
Loving Hands, Fields, Meme are my original works.
Deepest gratitude to Paula, 
