HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 2020

Today is Mother's Day, and 25 years ago, I would have been celebrating this day with my Mother, Florence Henrietta Brown Williams. In November of 1992, Alzheimer's had started ravishing my Mother's mind, and little did I know that we would not celebrate any more Mother's Days.

Since then (Mother died November 29, 1993), Mother's Day was empty without her, but my children strived to fill my heart with their love, their joy, their happiness, and their celebrations of me.

How wonderful that they never gave up on me. They always knew the bond between my Mother and me, and throughout the years they have helped me to celebrate her. The entire month of May used to find me sad, grumpy, irritable, and faking it through June 1 (Mother's birthday). Late October through November and mid-December, I would go through the exact funky mood.

In 2018, God finally allowed my heart and soul to do a little healing and I can honestly say today, I miss my Mother, but I am no longer grieving for my Mother. In fact, I did not feel compelled to tell the world about my hurt or my loss. Today, I want to celebrate Florence Henrietta Brown Williams with me and the beautiful Mother's Day Gift that I received this morning.

That old girl would have loved it! I can see that twinkle in her eyes, and that all-knowing smile as the children, grandchildren, and great-grandson served up breakfast in the early morning of this Mother's Day.

What a ball we would have had out there on the front porch in Magnolia's Restaurant eating waffles, sausages, bacon, croissants, fresh fruit, and chocolate-covered strawberries. As I think about my most perfect Mother's Day, I am so appreciative of my time with my Mother, as I know my children, grandchildren, and great-grandson will be in years to come.

I know each will have his or her own memory of today, and it will be quite different from mine, but I know we will all laugh about the time we had on this Mother's Day, Sunday, May 1, 2020.

To the mothers in my immediate family, know that you are appreciated and that I could not be more proud of each of you. I also know that Florence Henrietta Brown Williams would be equally proud of you. One of the things that she always talked about was having so many children and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren that we would not have a table long enough for all of us to sit around. Well, we have arrived at that place in history, and it is all because of the MOTHERS in the MILES family. MILES WOMEN ROCK! Thank you.

To the mothers in the Brown/Washington family, you are also appreciated, and I take this moment to say, I love you now more than ever before. Thanks to all of you, the Brown/Washington family lives on and we are as strong as ever! So, take a moment and give yourselves a round of applause for being such great reproductive women that have held down jobs while raising families. BROWN/WASHINGTON WOMEN are STONG, PROUD, and in the HOUSE!

THANK YOU for being a part of my legacy and happy Mother's Day one and all! You are loved. Here are your flowers.

NOTE: Please tag other Brown/Washington women. Thank you if they are on Facebook.

Shalinda White and Ashika Williams are no longer on Facebook.