I think a lot of this memory lane stuff though is happening because of the new book I'm reading.
"...THE FIRST TIME I was ever called ugly, I was thirteen. It was a rich friend of my brother Carlton's, over to shoot guns in the field.
"Why you crying, girl?" Constantine asked me in the kitchen.
I told her what the boy had called me, tears streaming down my face.
"Well? Is you?"
I blinked, paused my crying. "Is I what?"
"Now you look a here, Eugenia"----because Constantine was the only one who'd occasionally follow Mama's rule. "Ugly live up on the inside. Ugly be a hurtful, mean person. Is you one a them people?"
"I don't know. I don't think so," I sobbed.
Constantine sat down next to me, at the kitchen table. I heard the cracking of her swollen joints. She pressed her thumb hard in the palm of my hand, something we both knew meant Listen. Listen to me.
"Ever morning, until you dead in the ground, you gone have to make this decision." Constantine was so close, I could see the blackness of her gums. "You gone have to ask yourself, Am I gone believe what them fools say about me today?"
She kept her thumb pressed hard in my hand. I nodded that I understood. I was just smart enough to realize she meant white people. And even though I still felt miserable, and knew that I was, most likely, ugly, it was the first time she ever talked to me like I was something besides my mother's white child. All my life I'd been told what to believe about politics, coloreds, being a girl. But with Constantine's thumb pressed in my hand, I realized I actually had a choice in what I could believe..."
This book is soooo good! I'll just tell you that something has happened to Constantine. I'm just about to find out what it is in my next chapter or so...I think. That's going to captivate me for the rest of this day. Well....after I get all of my other stuff done and out of the way. You can just imagine how fast that's gonna be!! ^_^
I got an email yesterday. It had a link to this post on the blog Mythreebeez. Guess what?! She received the Giveaway gift, the green and white afghan!! Boy was that fast!! I though it would take a couple of weeks because of having to go so far on it's international trip, but it only took 4 or 5 days!! These are the pictures of my "baby" now in it's new home! :-)
Okay, I know how fast time flies by , {picture courtesy of Kerri on the blog A Little Piece of Me}
In The Mirror, I See Me
The lines of history are there,
just like a book upon the shelf;
And they are written so that you see
that I'm no longer just myself.
I did not see it before now-
my mother's hair and brother's teeth,
my sister's honey-colored skin-
have stolen time, just like a thief.
The mirror's image always was
of me alone-just here and now;
But as I age, and years go by,
I see granddaddy's furrowed brow.
I see my auntie's pug, round nose;
and my uncle's sun-bleached spots.
It is amazing -one-by-one,
the way it all connects the dots.
They have written on the pages
of the book of life I see;
When I look into the mirror
I no longer just see me.
It's a thing I must accept,
instead of fighting who to be.
I will accept my life's reflection,
and I'll smile at what I see,
when, in the mirror, I see me.
Wug...you had me on the edge of my seat!!! I HAVE to read that book!! Sounds delightful! Thanks for sharing it. No wonder I haven't seen much of you the last few days! LOL
ReplyDeleteCinLynn, Oh Yeah, it's a good one!!! I don't get to do much OTHER reading. You know what I mean. But it was a sister who passed this one to me. It was their book club read they just finished. I am SOOOO happy she thought of me! :-))
ReplyDeleteDeb, now you have me wanting to read that book. Thank you for sharing. Your afghan looks so loved in its new home. It matches her furniture so well. Your poems are so beautiful. Love this one too.
ReplyDeleteIt does look a little like home, doesn't it? . I've added that book to my reading list. If you like that kind of dialog you must read any and every thing by Janice Daugharty. She's from South Georgia and I absolutely love her work.
ReplyDeleteWow, I want to read that book. I just finished reading my current book so I need new material. What a beautiful piece you created, I love the colors!
ReplyDeleteenjoy the rest of your week.
SnowFlakeDreams1, Come on! Read it with me!! I'd love to have some feedback along with mine! ^_^...Thank you so much for always saying such sweet things about my crochet and my poems too. I joke about it, but it really does mean a lot to me. :-)
ReplyDeleteAlicia, It sure does!!...And Oooo! Thanks for the heads up too on Janice Daugharty, I'll have to keep an eye out for my next book after this one!...I almost called you this weekend too, by the way. Then sleep ensued. ^_^ You know the rest of the story!!
ReplyDeleteCroatian_Latina, Great! That would make at least 3 of us who could talk about it and craft and stuff too! ^_^ It's a really good one!...Thanks for the complement on the afghan too. I'm very happy it's in a place where it's being loved and sat on regularly! ^_^
ReplyDeleteNow that looks like a good read.Im liking the birds on the front it has to be good,LOL.No my book isnt a cook book.Its about a woman whos aproaching her 50 birthday and the close friends she has and has spent time with over the yrs.etc.Thus the name comfort food.Oh and she is a cook on TV.also thats her job rich and famous cook.
ReplyDeleteYou've got me hooked. That books sounds great!
ReplyDeleteBecky, Ha! Ha! I should have known the birds would get you!...And I think I'm kind of disappointed that it wasn't a cook book. That cover looked like it was up my alley!! :-)
ReplyDeleteJo-anne, :-) I thought for sure, because of what you normally like to read, that this book wouldn't be for you, but yay! So, if you start reading it let me know!
ReplyDelete