Monday, July 17, 2006

A Song for Mama

You taught me everything and everything you've given me

I always keep it inside

You're the driving force in my life

Yeah

There isn't anything or anyone that I can be

It just wouldn't feel right

If I didn't have you by my side

You were there for me to love and care for me when skies were gray

Whenever I was down you were always there to comfort me

and no one else can be what you have been to me

You’ll always be

You will always be the girl in my life


Chorus:

Mama

Mama you know I love you

(Oh you know I love you)

Mama

Mama you're the queen of heart

Your love is like tears from the stars

Mama I just you to know

Lovin' you is like food to my soul


You're always down for me

Have always been around for me even when I was bad

You showed me right from my wrong

(yes you did)

and you took up for me when everyone was downin' me

You always did understand

You gave me strength to go on

There was so many times looking back when I was so afraid

and then you come to me

and say to me

I can face anything

and no one else can do what you have done for me

You’ll always be

you will always be the girl in my life for all times


Mama

Mama you know I love you

(oh you know I love you)

Mama

Mama you're the queen of heart

Your love is like

Tears from the stars

Mama I just you to know

lovin' you is like food to my soul


Never gonna go a day without you

Fills me up just thinking about you

I’ll never go a day without my mama


Mama

Mama you know I love you

(oh you know I love you)

Mama

Mama you're the queen of heart

Your love is like tears from the stars

Mama I just you to know

lovin' you is like food to my soul


“A Song for Mama” – Boyz II Men


About six and a half years ago, I woke up on a Friday morning (February 18th to be exact) and was headed to my Legal Environment class at Georgia State on time for a change, and before I could leave the phone rang. The Caller ID had my grandparent’s phone number come up. Today was my Uncle Don’s birthday, and Saturday would be my mother’s birthday. My mother was on an assignment in DC and was flying back to Atlanta in the afternoon, and I had planned on picking her up from the airport and taking her down to Florida since we all had been trying to go down and see her for the past month. Y2K was out of my sights, and since I had to work most of the holidays, it was time to make that up and go see the fam.


Back to the phone call – I answered the phone thinking it was strange to hear from them, but hey at least the number on the refrigerator didn’t go to waste. The voice on the phone wasn’t my grandmother – or my grandfather. A second later the woman that called handed the phone to Granddaddy, and he told me that my Grandmother passed away that morning. I literally talked to her less than 12 hours before. I called to see what she had planned for the weekend since I was going to surprise her – you have no idea how many times I would “pop” in town and both of them would be out of town… and you thought I traveled a lot. Shock, grief, disbelief only began to express how I felt that morning.


It’s amazing that it has been so long ago. “Mother” always told us that she wouldn’t always be around, so you better learn what you can from her while she was here to teach…


Fast forward to today… I type this sitting in the hospital waiting room as my other grandmother, “Mama” lays in the Vascular Intensive Care unit after she suffered a stroke coming out of surgery to prevent the very thing that happened. If there is something positive to take out of this – first and foremost, she is still alive. Secondly, of all the places to have a stroke, you can’t beat the hospital.


Not too soon after my grandmother’s death in Florida, “Soul Food” came out… perhaps my dates are off, but whatever. One of my best friends commented to me one day that the character Ahmad reminded him of me in real life because of my attachment to my grandmothers. Back then I was honestly insulted. How are you comparing me to some 9 year old kid in a movie? Over this past week, I must say that I now see where he was coming from. I could even draw some parallels from that movie to my family here in the A. Even some of the drama – but that’s for another day. All I care about right now is getting my grandmother out of the hospital and seeing to it that she makes a full recovery.



1 comment:

john said...

Your grandma is in my prayers. I like the "Soul Food" comparison because that is why all Black people love that movie; rather from Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, etc.

The story caught the trials and tribulations African-American families go through; no matter where the locality.

As for Boys II Men's "Mama," it's quite fitting that was their last hit because it's their best song by far if you ask me; water runs dry my ass...

As for the family drama, from what I read about it on one of your relative's blog, Terry and Max had a much more legitimate beef in "Soul Food" than what happened with that bullshit at the hospital with someone who doesn't even share y'alls blood!

Anyway, like I said, she's in my prayers and I hope everything gets back to normal...