Just a few years ago, Erykah Badu had a chart topping series of songs that trumpeted an anthem of strength and rebirth to a new generation of women. With the torch song of the era, Badu gave women the strength to walk away from emotionally crippling relationships as she belted out lyrics aimed at all the Tyrone-like characters within the sound of her voice. She followed that up with a song meant to heal the bruised psyche of her female (and attentive male) fans as she gave thousands - or perhaps millions - the ability to see themselves in the lyrics of Bag Lady.
So, even after a musical revolution that garnered millions in record sales, I look around at the single women and broken relationships that still fail to heed her call to revelation and rebirth and I shake my head in wonderment. Why are so many people strong enough to dismiss a mate from their lives; yet, never divorce themselves from the their negative circumstance?
Women are to be applauded simply because they are women. I say this because I have had great examples in my life, great experiences in my past, and I have even greater expectations in my future.
You see, as a child, I stood in awe of my mother; Sadie, sweet Sadie. She raised her nine children all alone in a four bedroom home in a quiet residential neighborhood in Portsmouth, VA. We never knew when she was struggling or at her wit's end. We all had daily chores marked clearly on a wall calendar that hung in the kitchen. We all knew that we had to eat meals together at certain times of the day. We all knew that we could not leave the house until our chores and homework were done. And, most importantly, we all knew that we needed to be in the house as soon as the street lights came on. Without knowing it, she laid a foundation for order that has shaped my public persona.
Our neighbors may have had their own opinion of what they could expect of a woman with a house full of children. But, when they came to visit - announced or unannounced - they were always surprised to find the house in immaculate order and every child neatly dressed and well-mannered. Many times, they had to ask where the children were because my mother was a firm believer that children were to be seen and not heard. We didn't entertain or interfere with adult conversations. We played quietly in our rooms and, for years, found joy in the sound of each others laughter. By doing this, my mother taught me to respect elders, nurtured my creativity, and instilled my manners when interacting with others.
