T R A N S P A R E N T moment: Those that knew that my grandparents understand impact of this statement & true & dear this reality is to my heart. They were humble people that blessed many…never made announcements, never boasted or bragged about those they blessed. They changed the narrative in the field of health care/mental health & became a voice & fought for those that were not able to do so for themselves. My grandfather only had an 8th grade education & could not read (Something I was not aware of until after my grandmother died. More on this later). My grandmother supported his dream. She gave up her dream of becoming a school teacher, taught him how to read. She sold the house & the land Big Mama (her mother) left her so my grandfather could purchase the land for The Golden Door (about $25,000, if you were wondering).
I had a front row seat to witness two of the most amazing people I have ever met. As a child, I was unaware of the seeds being planted in me by them. I think of them still constantly and wonder what they would think on my life now. I wonder if they would be proud of me. So many times, I wish they were here so I could ask them questions about life & get their input on my ideas. I think about the people they touched. I think about how I used to play up and down the halls of The Golden Door as a kid. Thomas & Margie Winfrey provided hundreds of jobs to a community where people of color are generational marginalized. Those jobs fueled a city – everything from banks to gas stations, to shops and grocery stores. Many people were about to become first time home owners because the economy created by my grandparents.
Those with mental and physical challenges were able to have two people that fought for their care & safety. My grandparents were the first black people in the state of Tennessee to do some of that level. The State of Tennessee, failed in life and in their deaths, to truly honor them for all that they did. Many people quietly hated them, yet had no idea of the things they did to bless other people behind closed doors. They paid bills, saved homes from foreclosures, bought groceries, funded Thanksgivings, Christmases, bought clothes & so much more – and never bragged about it or belittled those they assisted. They just wanted to be a blessing to others. However, I promise to do everything in my power, with God’s help, to honor them in mine. With that being said, if you need to screen shot this…put this in your cloud…place it is your dropbox…archive this post – do what you must. But one this I am sure of, I will carry on their legacy.
You can’t stay where you are, live in fear of change & expect excellence. Stay & die or move & flourish. The choice is yours. Fear will attempt to talk you into staying, not for your benefit, but for theirs. You cannot explain vision to blind people. Is change scary? Yes. Will you have all of the answers? No. When greater calls…answer.
To my grandparents.
Love always,
Camille