An Open Letter to the Woman I Called ‘Mother’

Mommy this letter is written to you but will represent all mothers in the world who have created a beautiful day for their children. Moreso, those in the Gregg and Bynoe family.
Mommy as a mother you understood what your children were facing, even when you did not experience it yourself. You had a stronger instinct than forged steel, something Syl will talk to you about with over 30 years of experience. There is a soul that every second lives for your sake.

Mommy, actually there are many things I want to say. But I’m too embarrassed to say it directly. I’m afraid to see you cry. I can not stand to see your tears coming out. Especially being in this place a place far from home.

This letter to the mommy is not meant to tell you what we feel. Most likely, you understand that we have been holding our own for many years after you left us.

This letter is written in order to parse the contents of our own head. In order to reduce the longing that is in our chest.

There is not a moment pass that I do not reflect on you and the things you taught us. How to be good men and women. How to take little and make glad in our hearts. How to share with those that do not have and to be content not having anything. Mommy those little things are still keeping me today. I never know that your skills and love would have me still alive in a strange land.

Mommy, I remembered when you took care of my grandmother (my father mother). You did it without a fuss and pure love. Preparing meals for her and then in the afternoon, you would take your time to climb the hill to make sure she had a bath and tuck her into bed before the sun sets. We, in turn, had to sleep with her and before the morning breaks another will bring her breakfast. Watch a woman I am proud to call MOTHER.

Mommy I often shed a tear knowing that you are not here to share a meal with me. Oh, how I wished you were still alive to feel those hands that took care of me and my little girl Sharol Rose. You loved all your grandchildren equally and even though you loved “Bully” more than the others, you never talked about it openly.

I remembered you talking about “Bang” and Deloy and I am only talking about that now. Yet because Kenroy lived with you for so long and he loved you a lot, you preferred Lear and I know why. Lear stood with you when you took ill in 1974 and he couldn’t express himself because of his disability. You would have murdered someone for him. Mommy, you loved them all. I recalled how you took Moses the son of Leslie and he could have done no wrong. What a woman I called MOTHER.

Kenny was also a favourite to you and he knew it especially when he saw you or knew he was going to visit you. Kenny has tattooed your name on his chest in your memory. I will get a beating from those whose names I haven’t mentioned and I hope they understand.

When I am tempted to do wrong I remember your face and the sound of a “cough” that would jolt me back into my place. Then my attitude changes and realizes that I must do better. Had it not been for you my life would be lost and useless. Praise God that none of your children has gone to jail and it is because of you and the training. You believed in the Biblical principle “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old will not depart from it. Your grandchildren believe in you and I am teaching my grandchildren, your great-grandchildren who you were and still is in my heart.

Mommy, you have touched so many lives in your time on this earth and many are on the other side, but we continue to talk about them to this date. A woman of power and love who daily brought gladness into our hearts.

May I say here that you have some great daughters-in-law like Roslyn, Hannah, Cornetta and best of all Joyce and Bibi. Joyce gave you Moses and you often talked about her. You never gave up on her and that taught me a great lesson to this day.

One thing I can remember about you, I never heard you in a “cuss out” with anyone. You taught us that silence is golden and that was the example you set for us.

Can I ask you a question and I may never know the answer because you are no longer with us? I am curious to know how you felt bearing me for nine months and the pain you felt giving birth. No one can talk about a mother’s love for her children. Yet with all the uncomfortableness, it seemed like you love childbirth.

Mommy life is a bit easier today and the way we had to toil for our living is no longer the norm. I know you are looking down and when you visit your earthly home there is a big difference. One thing I will like you to do is to tell my father I love him and we will be a family again.

Thanks for visiting me periodically and I know the journey is not difficult, but I need to talk to you next time you pass through. And now I keep this for the last and you may wonder why and only you will be able to figure it out. Natasha is well and wishes for those days to come back, which means for you to be around. those for Edward are fine and the family is expanding well. Syl and I were talking the other day what it would be like for you to be around with all those grandchildren running around the house. Won’t that be nice?

I will talk to you more in the quietness of my home. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY