A Season of life, love, laughter

This Holiday season is truly beginning well.  Heading home from Atlanta, GA, I reflected on so much.The drive this time seemed different.  Although I arbor driving long distances, I spent Q&T w/ self.  I called to remembrance: 1. How fast life is traveling by, 2. The days of Old, 3. Family Memories, 4. Self progression.  (If you have never undergone SELF Q&T I IMPLORE YOU TO DO SO!) My mind roamed on so many streets of memories, growths, hurts & pains.  The great thing is all these roads buried within my mind, led me to the current K.Mart typing away.  Bearing scars of triumph and defeat, loss and gain...I'm so proud of where I am & where I've come from.  I begin to imagine how would life be minus FAMILY.?.?

Reaching the great state of Charlotte, NC my heart leaped with the flutters of that little boy so excited to see his Mom.  Her embrace and bright smiling face was all that I needed.  Upon seeing her everything was at ease.  Later, catching up with the rest of the fam added to this nostalgia.  I have truly learned the special burden of a "Family".  Through arguments, highs and frequent lows, we're all only given 1 Family to bare. Cherish yours! ! ! The day of Thanksgiving changed my life.  Usually the fam cooks hefty meals and we laugh, share, entertain and enjoy one another. However, this time we traveled to visit extended fam in the Mountains.  This may sound not too different or unusual, but the location in the Mountains was slightly far and the relatives were unknown by myself.  It was in 'Black Mountain' N.C. that I capsuled a momen never to be forgotten.

The drive up was long, but amusing. 7 bodies packed into a Pick up truck and hit I77 towards Asheville, NC.  We laughed ate and remenisced on good 'ol memories.  Of course when we reached the location the address was wrong.  We drove down long wooded roads with Mountainous terrain all around.  It was quite interesting to say the least.  Finally when we reached a relative we located a cousins home.  I'll never forget the way this humble abode looked.  The yard, shutters, windows, and driveway reeked of years of great laughs, delicious meals, love and unity.  In the middle of nowhere a home of love dwelled. We were greeted by a distance cousin whom my Mom and her siblings visited frequently in latter years.  As we entered this shrine, I noticed so many resemblances of the typical African American home.  Pictures flooded the walls of the living room or Den, showing a timeline of the African American Familial Experience.  I was ever so captivated at how the lives of family members are frozen in time by way of images.  Eventually we were greeted by another distant relative who was caring for my GreatGrandMothers Niece.  A woman so frail and now dependent on her child once swept the floors of this immaculate home and cared for all of her children.  Fortunately, in this moment of dismay, I realized that her Glory was seeing all her children grow to take her noble reigns in leading as the adult in life, only to follow her example. The Circle of Life is soooo REAL!! 

Little did I know that this was only the beginning...I just started living.  The essence of my story will be to complete the unwritten story began by those previous. And once my time expires, hopefully my children will do the same.  Life is so full of moments that make sense so much later in life.  I am so thankful that this Holiday Season will render so many great things.  I cherish the memories and continue to lead as those before me.