When I was younger, my mother used to send me "down the country" to a place called Sutherlin, Virginia. I would spend my summers with my great-grandma Bernice and my older cousins/brothers, Michael and Maurice. They taught me how to make mud pies, play basketball, wrestle, and just flat out be tomboy. Then there was my cousins Kim and Rhoda. I remember thinking how pretty they were and me wanting to be like them. Kim always had these pretty hazel eyes that made me want color contacts when I got older. Rhoda used to wear her hair with the slickest baby hairs on her forehead and even though my hair was super thick, I had to have those baby hairs. I even took some Blu-Magic hair grease and slicked my whole bang down in an attempt to imitate her. (Talk about a greasy mess!)
They didn't know it but I was watching them. I watched their moves and the way they talked. I took notice of what they wore. And even at a young age, I was mindful of how they treated people. I will be 42 years old in a couple of weeks but I still remember not just the memories all of my cousin gave me, but I also remember the lessons.
Who's watching you? What young person is paying attention to your every move? Are you living a life that would make someone want to positively immolate you? We often say we want to make our ancestors proud, and we should, but what about us? Let us not forget, we too, are future black ancestors! Live in a way to show others how to one day, make US proud!
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