Tears streaked down my face. It had been 44 years since I last saw my high school classmate, Deborah Conerly.
And, to think that of all the people in the world that she could have searched high and low for it was “little ole” me.
Was honored and so touched that Deborah sought to locate inconsequential me. Our two-hour visit had been the much needed salve for my wounded and pierced heart.
Golly, it was so refreshing to my soul and rejuvenating to my spirit to feel “sisterhood” just one more time.
For you see, the month of April had been wickedly cruel and unjustifiably unfair to me.
Like a thief in the night, April was the month that my sister was tragically killed in an arson fire. For 16 treacherous Aprils, I had fervently tried to have amnesia that entire month, but only in vain and to no damn avail.
Guess it was my fate to silently wail, cry, and mourn and mourn, cry, and wail each April for the rest of my days.
However, when God snatches one flower, He mercifully plants another.
On the flip side of my tragedy, never would have imagined, much less than conceived, that two years ago this month God would give me a consolation prize when He planted my “big brother” and BFF, Wesley, into Jacksonville.
Grateful to learn that “family” is not necessarily biological!
Although Wesley could never replace the zaniness of my sister, in His infinite wisdom, God knew that Nicholas, Mantha, and I would richly benefit from Wesley’s fellowship, camaraderie, support, and from the love that Wesley has bestowed in each of our hearts.
Personally, his presence has slowly neutralized my pain, my heartache, and my trepidation, and the sense of lost that I had always felt and experienced after Jean’s death. Sadly, in losing the physicality of my sibling, overnight, I also suffered a double whammy by losing the rest of my biological family’s love, too, forevermore.
So, for me, I welcome the sensation of feeling deliriously happy that my nearly 25-year friendship with Wesley continues to steadfastly grow….as God knew that I needed the surrogacy and love of and from my “big brother!”
Professionally, it was three years ago when I was discovered by my muse, Lucius Gantt.
Will never forget the culmination of our first and only meeting when dozens of “love bugs” encircled us which since has forged an abiding love, respect, and admiration for one another’s talents and revolutionary fervor for the past three years.
Will always maintain that Mr. Gantt is my “George” and, I, his “Angela!”
Laugh out loud.
Would have remained a literary secret and mystery if Keith Longmore and Gillian Nanton had not taken a moment to read one of my blistering commentaries that I had forwarded to Gantt.
Fortunately, one conversation led to another and, voila, three Aprils ago I debut my writing talents to this readership!
WOW! What an honor and, simultaneously, what a terrifying task!
Laugh out loud.
Although I enjoyed public speaking, training, teaching, consulting, and thriving in the hustle and bustle of corporate America, it never dawned on me for a nanosecond that I had an innate ability to write.
Gantt, Longmore, and Nanton wholeheartedly and unanimously believed otherwise.
And, apparently, so do YOU!
As I sprint towards my fourth year, please allow me to thank each of my benefactors for giving me an opportunity to talk some “sass” and talk some “trash” each Sunday.
Special recognition to my husband and daughter (Nicholas and Mantha) for being my comedic guinea pigs and allowing me to “broadcast” so much of our private moments for the world to see….and I am sure….in some form or fashion and at our expense…to overtly ridicule but covertly learn pearls of wisdom, black history, and mother wit!
Special thanks to my brother….from another mother….Wesley.
Love ya…. Pastor H.T. Rhim….promise….to see you soon and very soon!
Finally, just as important, thanks to my adoring fans and consummate critics. Venturing towards next April and my breathtaking fourth anniversary, I pledge to become…
Gooder and Gooder!
