Grandma's hands

In celebration of mother's and their nurturing hearts. Here's a beautiful song by Bill Withers - Grandma's hands.

 

Let's honour these hands that have prepared food for us, knitted clothes, and felt the cold, while holding and embracing life. The wrinkles that are the linelines that tell the story of our being, and the white hairs that symbolise wisdom.

 

To grand mothers...... 

 

Bill Withers - Grandma's Hands

Grandma's hands
Clapped in church on Sunday morning
Grandma's hands
Played a tambourine so well
Grandma's hands
Used to issue out a warning
She'd say, "Billy don't you run so fast
Might fall on a piece of glass
"Might be snakes there in that grass"
Grandma's hands
Grandma's hands
Soothed a local unwed mother
Grandma's hands
Used to ache sometimes and swell
Grandma's hands
Used to lift her face and tell her,
"Baby, Grandma understands
That you really love that man
Put yourself in Jesus hands"
Grandma's hands
Grandma's hands
Used to hand me piece of candy
Grandma's hands
Picked me up each time I fell
Grandma's hands
Boy, they really came in handy
She'd say, "Matty don' you whip that boy
What you want to spank him for?
He didn't drop no apple core"
But I don't have Grandma anymore

If I get to Heaven I'll look for
Grandma's hands

A mother’ day wish to my daughter - If I could

So, I spent my mother’s day, with my sisters and mothers on a weekend getaway to Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga.

The idea was to take our mothers out for a little time away, to relax and have fun. And that, we did. We had lots of fun, so thank you to all my sisters. Much appreciated.

Come Sunday morning, we treated the mothers to a special mother’s breakfast in the patio by the garden. And as the day progressed, I thought real and hard about what the day meant for me, as a daughter.

It, being my second mother’s day; I reflected back on the past year, when my little angel was just a week old, and how she has grown so much now that she has some diva tendencies, as her aunt would say.

Anyhow, thinking about this day, I realised that this is not so much about me  as a mother; but rather I owed it to my daughter, who, because of her, I’m a mother today. So, while many were wishing their mothers a happy mother’s day (rightfully so, cause that’s what the day is about), I had my own wishes for my daughter, and the best way to express it is though song (I’m black, and so we appreciate music heartily.J).

The song is by Regina Belle – If I could. Here are the lyrics; and I’m sure you’d also wish the same for your child. To motherhood, and womanhood, and the blessing that is a child.

If I could
I'd protect you from the sadness in your eyes
Give you courage in a world of compromise
Yes, I would; If I could

I would teach you all the things I never learned
And I'd help you cross the bridges that I burned
Yes, I would; If I could

I would try to shield your innocence from time
But the part of life I gave you isn't mine
I watched you grow
So I could let you go

If I could
I would help you make it through the hungry years
But I know that I can never cry your tears
But I would; If I could

If I live
In a time and place
Where you don't want to be
You don't have to walk along this road with me
My yesterday
Won't have to be your way

If I knew
I'd have tried to change the world I brought you to
Through there wasn't very much that I could do
But I still would; If I could

If, if I could
I would try to shield your innocence from time
But the part of life I gave you isn't mine.
I watched you grow
So I could let you go

If I could
I would help you make it through the hungry years
But I know that I can never cry your tears
But I would; If I could
Yes, I would, Yes, I would, If I could

The journey of Change

Hello friends,

It has been quite a while, since I posted anything on the blog. But hey, Here I am writing about change - a word so often avoided like a plaque by most of us.

Truthfully, most of us don't like to hear the word change because of what it represents. To many, change represents discomfort, a painful journey of moving out of our comfort zone. When someone says change, it often means that they don't like the way we are or do things, and truthfully, no one likes to hear that.

Possibly, one of the discomfort associated with change, is because we've attached negative connotations to the word. Instead of seeing it as an opportunity to do better, and be better; we look at it as not being liked, incompetent, and incapable. Which, in so many ways, talks to our psyche and how we're socialised as people. We need a constant reminder to 'always look on the brighter side',  how come though? How come we're so affected by the negative, and need a reminder to take note of the good? (Food for thought, and a topic for another day)

Anyhow, change is a part of the journey of life. It is inevitable, unlesss you consciously choose to avoid it. Even then, sometimes, change comes naturally, whether you're ready for it or not.
And for me, it is the kind of change that you intentionally embark on that is essentially fundamental. The kind of change that you initiate, and follow through. Change in this context, can be defined as the process of making something different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone:

For me, it started with cutting my hair. On the surface it seemed just like a petty exercise. But for me it marked a bold move to change things from what they were to where I wanted to be. Not that I wanted short hair, but I had to start there. And is so many ways, this signifies the journey that we each have to engage in - gotta start somewhere.

Which brings me to my next point. Change is a process, not an event. And in the journey of life, there are always changes ahead, which provide us with an opportunity to do better and be better. I'll admit it's not easy, but necessary for growth and success.

With all this said, dear friends, Here's to striving for change as an opportunity to grow and be better beings.


The journey continues......

Lady B!