Purpose

I guess the reason I am writing all of these stories down ... the reason I am trying to recollect everything that has happened in my life, is because grandma isn't around anymore.

Grandma Morris was the reason I know who I am -- who my family is.

Helen Morris recorded the Morris family history through scrapbooks. Every time we visited her (my family) in Waveland, Mississippi, I looked forward to an evening where everyone would pull out a scrapbook and take in almost 100 years of history. Fourteen volumes of Black history. Our family history.

She would tell stories about my dad's cousins, and who his childhood friends were; why she was dressed to the nines in one photo and smiling ear to ear in another.

I miss her.

She passed away several years ago when I was still in college.

I remember the last time I saw her. I remember talking to my dad's uncle Andrew.

I remember thinking, "I am so blessed to have such a strong and beautiful family."

It is those memories of family gatherings that make me feel a responsibility to stay strong ... to accomplish great things ... to be a rock for my (God willing) future children.

Grandma is gone, but the recording of our family history has not passed with her.

My fingers are the new orator. My blog, the family griot.

I invite you to share in my life's achievements. My failures. My moments of joy, and times of sadness.