Memories of A Little Boy
What is life? In its raw form, life is represented by numbers. It is time measured in hours, minutes, and seconds. It is also characterized by other measurements, such as weight, height, inches, volume, and dimension. These numbers vary throughout life and can give us a basic sense of time, but the actions and events that occur during the time represented by these numbers are what define legacy and impact. My grandmother left an incredible legacy filled with tremendous impact during her 83 years, 10 months and 4 days. Her legacy and impact both cannot be assessed by possessions or wealth. I stand before you today as evidence of her legacy and impact. My grandmother was a rare soul – a Divine spirit. She was my Light, my Lineage, and my FOREVER!
As I reflect on her legacy and impact, I can’t help but remember that she was my FIRST for many things in life and my memory of these firsts set the cornerstone for my character and the values I hold today. My grandmother may not have been my first sight coming into this world, but she definitely was my FIRST memory. My FIRST memory of beauty, love, strength, and compassion came from my grandmother. My FIRST memory of emotional expression and the desire to be loved, feel loved, and give love was through her. My FIRST memory of fashion and presentation was that of my grandmother. She was an accomplished seamstress and created the most stunning African outfits. My FIRST memory of a Goddess was of my grandmother.
My grandmother was my FIRST memory of family, a family that consists of both extended and immediate members without distinction along those lines. She was my FIRST memory of structure, discipline, hard work, and perseverance. She was also my FIRST memory of confidence and boldness, as well as my FIRST memory of duality because she was simple yet complicated. My grandmother was my FIRST memory of the difference between happiness and joy. I mean uncompromised joy. She remained joyful despite life’s perils and regardless of financial, environmental, and social circumstances. In fact, this was the secret of our bond and connection. My grandmother was also my FIRST memory of both pain and hurt. My FIRST memory of a woman’s sorrow was of hers. My FIRST memory of retaliation and revenge was on her behalf.
As I continue through my wave of memories, my grandmother was my FIRST memory of the concept of entrepreneurship and of a businesswoman. She did whatever it took to provide for her family whether she was cleaning corporate offices and buildings, caring for young children and adults, or owning small businesses or “shops” as it is called in Liberia. She was innovative at creating multiple income streams. On any given day you could be sure to visit her home and find yourself purchasing one or more items from her “shop”. Whether it was an assortment of candy, which included condensed milk candy and bubble gums or “chiklet” as it is referred to in Liberian colloquial or any variety of soda or “soft drink” (another colloquialism), you could rest assured it was available for sale. You could also find your favorite alcoholic beverage of a cold bottle of “club beer” or ginger beer, even Heineken and Guinness. I’d be remiss not to mention palm wine, which like “club beer” and ginger beer is an alcoholic beverage native to her homeland and several regions across the diaspora.
At her shop (also referred to as “coe bo shop”) you could also treat yourself to some of her favorite African cuisine, such as fufu and soup, cassava leaf, palm butter, torborgee, and fried fish and rice just to name a few. And yes, there were also her famous donuts and pastries such as rice bread, hot and delicious buttermilk cornbread, short bread, kala, and even plantain chips.
My grandmother never referred to her shop as a restaurant because it was more of a home. In addition to good food and drinks, she would also entertain you with music, games, and great conversation. Her idea was to create an atmosphere where all patrons felt like family; a space filled with positive energy, where you felt safe and knew you would have a good time, leaving life’s obstacles behind for a few hours.
As I close, my grandmother was my FIRST memory of Me and my FIRST memory of life was of Her! Although she is gone, I know she is with me today, tomorrow, and forever. To my beloved Mama, I love you to the highest heights and deepest depths. May your energy travel for Eternity!
~A Broken Heart – Your Grandson Melford.