One Day I Want To Be Just Like …by Rambling Raven

It amazes me that even at this age (thirty-something) there are some women I look at and think to myself—wow, when I grow up I want to be just like her. These women are so accomplished and graceful; they make me feel like a little diva in waiting. I hope that when I get to be their age, I will be blessed enough to be just as accomplished and graceful as they are. These strong females have in their own unique way help established my ideals of what a woman should and can be.

I want to first pay homage to my mother. My mother in many circles wouldn’t be considered a great success by the mere fact that she has been a working class woman her entire life. However, it is her resilience that I desperately admire. My mother is the last surviving member of her immediate family; she has been since the age of thirty. She not only buried every member of her family, she also took in her sister’s three children and raised them as well. My mother had to put much of her life and dreams on hold to ensure that the children in the family succeeded and was well taken care of. She raised a total of six children on the relatively meager incomes her and my dad made. Thanks to her sacrifices all her children are college educated and self-sufficient. She also made sure that her sister’s children made it all the way to college as well. She is the matriarch of the family who everyone still runs to to show off their accomplishments, get advice from and lean on for support. And although, I know she wished her life had a different outcome she is relatively happy and at peace with it all. “Turn those lemons into lemonade”, is her favorite phrase to us.

My aunt Yolanda (my father’s sister) is another woman who I greatly admire. Yolanda was always the glamorous aunt. She had no children nor did she ever marry, yet she was never the old maid. One of my fondest memories of her is with her cherry red Firebird. She often went cruising around the city in that car, and it was always a thrill to jump in right beside her. And every time I looked up, Yolanda was off on some amazing vacation. If she wasn’t off to Europe she went cruising in the Bahamas. And although age has slowed her down a bit, my aunt still dresses to impress, and goes on an adventurous vacation at least once a year. She once told me that although she doesn’t have a family of her own that doesn’t mean that she can’t enjoy life to the fullest. It is up to you to define who you are not any outside forces, she said.

The third woman I pay homage to is my co-worker, Mary. Mary is stylish to a fault, not a hair out of place or a mishap in her wardrobe; even her classroom looks as if it should be showcased in a magazine. And she does the most beautiful bulletin boards I have ever seen. She takes pride in everything she does. I admire Mary for her hard work, her spirituality and her quest for perfect health. Mary is the healthiest person I know. She is well informed in alternative and natural health. She lives a clean and healthy life. She can tell you what to do for whatever ails you. Although she is only three years from retirement, Mary looks twenty years younger. She has a flawless complexion a lean body and an over abundance of energy. The thing that wows me about Mary is her ability to always stay positive and see the silver lining in any gray cloud. She has one of the most positive outlooks on life I have ever seen. Her unwavering belief in God shines through in everything she does. She always seems to know exactly what to say to put a smile on your face. Mary loves life and it shows everyday. Children and adults love to be in her presence because she is such a positive individual. What is even more amazing is that Mary is deaf.  Her disability never seems to get in the way or is used as an excuse. I pray that I can one day be as positive about my life as Mary is with hers.

It is often difficult being a black woman in this world today. And when I feel as if life has beaten me over the head one time to many I just rely on the strength of the women I have mentioned above. They have found a way to live life to its fullest and to make lemons into lemonade. I am so thankful that as grown as I am there are still people who I can look up to and aspire to be like. I have learned from them that with age comes wisdom and beauty. You never stop growing as a person and the ultimate goal is to live life to its fullest.

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