March 3rd 1912

So my Great Grandmother died 7 years ago...It really doesn't seem that long ago. But it has been. Anyway, I've been starting to think about how all the strong people in my life have been women. NO ONE has been a greater insperation to me that Annie Small. I still remember her birthday. It was March 3rd 1912. We were alot closer than anyone ever knew. We kept our closness, pretty much secret. I liked to keep it that way. Every family has there favorites. I was never the favorite family member with anyone else, but I am 100% positive that I was my grandmothers favorite. She listened to me, she talked to me, she hugged me, she showed me love when I thought no one loved me. She gave me my appreciation for music. I am not a religous person, but I find myself singing a song she use to sing to me when I was younger. It is well with my soul.

My most found memories were of us sitting in front of her 12" TV watching the Price is right. She never missed that show, and for someone who hadn't gone shopping in years, she knew all the prices. She also taught me how to sew, which I never told anyone about.

She was in her 80's before she had to be moved to a nursing home. We only visited her once. I wish I lived in Conway SC so I could see her everyday...But that wasn't possible. Anyway, the one time we saw her was one of the hardest moments of my life. I asked her how she was feeling. She didn't talk much, but what she told me that day has stuck with me, and I will NEVER forget it. She said Baby(she always called me baby) SOON THERE WILL BE DONE, TROUBLES OF THE WORLD. It wasn't until 7 years later that I knew what she was talking about.

I still remember every moment of her funeral. I don't know why we were the last car in the procession but we were. I remember not shedding a tear during the church service. I guess I was still in shock. I started to shed a tear or two when they actually moved her body out of the church. It wasn't until we were eating(you know how black people, like to eat at funerals) that I lost it. It's odd, someone asked me how I was doing and for some reason, that triggered something in me and I lost it. We arrive to the burial site, and it just starts pouring. One of those hard SC rains. With Hail, and sleet, and just hard rain. It had been sunny all day long and as we are about to put her in the ground the sky opens up. It was very odd.


Most people when they speak of his or her grandmother, they always metion how meek or how frail or how small she was. Annie was none of those things. This was the strongest, largest lady I have even met in my life. She even had alot more physical strength that I thought. She was just an all around great person, who always will mean the world to me.

I made a promise to her at her funeral, which one day I will keep.

I love you and will always miss you



Soon, there will be done
Trouble of the world.

Trouble of the world
Trouble of the world

Going home to live with God.