My heart is so full right now! Those who have been following me for a while know that it doesn’t take much to make me smile or feel blessed. Well, at this moment, I feel like I’m on top of the world! Y’all, I never knew seeing a few jets flying would cause me to feel so much joy. I really did love my time in the Air Force. It was my life for so long.
A few minutes ago, I opened Facebook and the first thing I saw were jets flying. Another one of my favs, Mrs. Michelle Obama, had posted the trailer for her and President Obama’s new documentary on Netflix, “Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds.” I had no idea it was even in the works. When I tell you it’s like receiving a gift you weren’t expecting. Felt the same yesterday when I found out “She the People” is a comedy about Mississippi. Who knew?! Lol.
Anyway… I can’t even begin to describe what I’m feeling at the moment. Y’all, during my career, I entered thousands of flight plans, did so many briefings and airfield checks, and the part of my job that I miss the most is watching the fighters take off, especially at the break of dawn. There’s nothing like it. I am so looking forward to seeing this documentary. If you would like to watch it too, it’s out now on Netflix!
I was scrolling through my photos and came across pictures from my daughter’s graduation from undergrad school. She was just a baby. Now she’s grown, grown. I am so proud of the woman she’s become.🥰
I didn’t get any good pictures with her, but I’m glad everyone else did.
I believe I have written enough about love. I’m just going to let it flow freely from me to you. May you feel it through every post I make. Feel it. Receive it. Then, pass it along. Just know that I really do love you, though.🥰
Here’s a find from my saved photos. As always, I’m not sure why I take pictures of random things, but they always make me smile whenever I come across them. This one definitely made me smile. The 80’s. MTV. Cyndi Lauper. Love (yeah… there’s no way around it🤷🏽♀️😌).
I can’t believe it’s been nine years since I went to see The PASSION Live!
Seems like it was only a few years ago, not almost ten. Wow!
Y’all, how it happened was how so many things have happened in my life. I have a random wish—“I wish I could…”—and it happens. A few days before I went to the event, I saw something on Twitter about it happening in New Orleans—which is basically down the highway from me. At that moment, I thought, “I wish I could go see it.” Not lying… not even a day later, I saw that free tickets were available, and I got one! The rest is history! It was an awesome experience, but it was SO COLD that day.🥶
I’ve shared the same image below since 2022. To continue with the “love” theme, I’m sharing it again today, along with two of my previous captions—the first is included in the screenshot.
Keep it simple. Don’t overcomplicate it.
Here’s the second caption, which was shared last year.
Feeling a bit nostalgic this morning. Taking it back to when times seemed simpler. When love seemed simpler. But what would I know? I was only around four or five when “When Somebody Loves You Back,” was released.🤭 Let’s just say I felt the love Teddy was singing about. It was between this song and L.T.D.’s “Love Ballad.” I’m a 70’s baby, of course I love “LOVE.”☺️
When I shared last year’s post as an Instagram story, I included Teddy Pendergrass’ “When Somebody Loves You Back.” As you can see, I was torn between it and another 70’s favorite, L.T.D.’s “Love Ballad.” I remember my granddaddy playing L.T.D.’s eight track while driving his midnight blue L.T.D. I was so intrigued by the fact that they were both L.T.D.s that I never forgot either—not even the color of his car. Great memories.☺️
As I said in my caption from last year, “I’m a 70’s baby, of course I love “LOVE.”☺️” It’s who I am, and this year I’m embracing it. I am a lover and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said—
“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.”
This post has been in my drafts since January 8, 2022. I wrote it for another blog, but can’t locate the link. Glad I saved it here. This was my mother.
Title: Momma, I See You
I was born to a teenage mother, who was born to a teenage mother, who was born to a teenage mother. Yep.. three generations of teen moms. My mother was 14 years old when she became pregnant with me and 15 when she gave birth. What’s ironic is my grandmother was also pregnant. Not only was she about to birth her eighth child at 30, but she was also about to become a first time grandmother. Can you imagine being 30 years old with eight children and your first grandchild on the way? Oh… and my great grandmother, my grandmother’s mom, had 12 children at the time and she was only 43. Y’all, I’m 47 with two children. Had my first child at 21 and my second at 30. Just thinking about what it must have felt like being a teenage mother is unimaginable, let alone having multiple children and grandchildren by the age of 30.
Well, a few years ago, during one of my mom’s frequent visits to the emergency room, I thought about what it must have felt like to be responsible for another life at such a young age. When I arrived at the hospital, she was in so much pain. Every time the nurses touched her she moaned. I wanted to help but couldn’t. Finally the doctor gave her something to ease the pain and she fell asleep. I didn’t leave. I just sat there watching her sleep. Honestly, it was like watching a stranger. The person I saw lying there wasn’t the loud, strong, opinionated woman I knew. This woman was vulnerable, tired, and broken. That’s when it hit me that she was so much more than my mother, she was a woman.
While sitting there, I began reminiscing about my childhood and the sacrifices she had made for me and my five siblings. She always made sure our needs were met even if she had to go without. When I was a baby, she worked in the cotton fields to buy me clothes and pampers. She married a man twice her age, and endured abuse, so that she could support me. By the time she divorced him two years later, she had another little girl to support. Although she had two toddlers, she graduated from high school early and enrolled in college. At 18 she was walking the campus of Jackson State University with two in tow. I still remember attending night classes with her when she couldn’t find a babysitter. During that time she was always learning something new as well as introducing us to new things. For me, that was the most exciting time of my childhood. Also, she was no stranger to hard work. Throughout my childhood, I don’t ever remember hearing her complain about taking on second jobs or not being able to take off for vacations. She did what she had to do to provide for her family. I remember how one year she walked miles to work in the snow, while pregnant with one of my younger sisters. One day she slipped and fell and still went to work. That’s how dedicated and selfless she was. Although she experienced heartaches, disappointments, and abuse, we rarely saw her cry. She was the rock of the family.
Needless to say, by the time I left the hospital I was a changed woman. I saw my mom through a different lens. Not only her but my grandmother and great grandmother as well. I often wonder what kind of sacrifices and compromises did they have to make to ensure their children had everything they needed.
Listen, like most mother-daughter relationships, my mother and I have had our ups and downs. However, it wasn’t until I put myself in her shoes that I was able to better understand some of her experiences and decisions. I will admit that the woman she was throughout my childhood made me the woman I am today, and for that, I’m grateful.
The months I spent with her before she passed were a blessing I didn’t know I needed. I needed that time with her. Even though it was like caring for a child at times, I still knew I was hers. So many times I wanted to climb up in the hospital bed with her.
My momma…
She made us take pictures that day (June 1997). She just had to have a family photo even though we weren’t dressed for one.😅We were so unserious. But it was her day, and there was no way we weren’t going to comply. She was still Momma! We also took pictures with my grandma (her mom). About a couple of weeks later, my grandma suddenly died. The following year, my mom became paralyzed from the waist down.
Life can change in the blink of an eye. Make sure you cherish every moment with those you love.♥️
It’s Shaun’s World 
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