Legacy Letters allow women (and some men) to interview some of the influential women in their own lives. Some times life gets hectic and those who have meant so much to us aren’t told just how influential they have been. Legacy Letters is a chance to honor those we love in a special way.

My best friend and Godmother to my boys interviewed her mother this  past weekend for Mother’s Day. I am so very excited and humbled that they both took the time out of their day to do this for me. I think the mother-daughter bond is one that is definitely unique and I love being able to help both of them see each other from a new perspective.

Without further ado please meet Mrs. Hattie and Danielle.

 

Hattie George. She was named after her own mother, Hattie Coleman. She was the next to the youngest baby.  She is the epitome of what I look for in a mother. She is caring, loving, and knowledgeable with a little bit of sass. She is a survivor. She survived raising 10 kids. She survived not 1 but 2 cancers (urethral and breast). She survived being married for 30+ years.

I will always be grateful for my mother because she lets me help her. When I moved back home 4 years ago, I never knew what a blessing it would be to come back. I learned to not just know mama as a mother but as a friend. I know what her favorite color is (brown and she is a sucka for leopard).  I have seen her accomplish being a homeowner (which was a dream I never knew she had).  I have also seen the softer side of her as a grandmother. The way she dotes and loves on them warms my heart as I imagine how she was with my siblings and me as children. My mom is more than a mother to me; she is my riding buddy, my singing partner, and my friend. I thank God every day that I have a living mother. She is a blessing to me and whomever she comes in contact with her.

 

Danielle: What do you think was a defining moment for you as a child? What do you think was a defining moment for you as an adult?

Hattie: Umm… My mom, let me stay at home a lot, probably more than she should. I wasn’t always sick. As an adult, my life after my husband (passed). It felt good to go places and not feel like I was on time restraint. I could go and come on my own.

 

D: What is one thing you hope I learn from you?

H: I hope you learn how to be financially independent. I wanted you to see that you don’t have to have much to be able to save. Every little bit counts.

D:What is one thing you learned from your mother?

H:  To be a hard worker.

 

D: Do you see your role as a mother of adult children different than when we were younger? What are some of those differences?

H: They don’t listen. I try to tell them what they should be doing but just like when they were children. They don’t listen. I try best to not fuss but it’s difficult when you see them going down what I feel is the wrong path.

D:What was one fear you had and did you overcome that fear?

H: I had a fear that I wouldn’t be able to properly provide for my kids. I feel that I did the best with what I had. They mostly turned out for the best. I got all but one out of high school with a diploma.

D: When it comes to being a woman, what do you think is our most powerful asset and why?

D: (She didn’t have an answer for that but I think my mom’s powerful asset is a listening ear. She may not always remember what you say but she is one of the first persons people call to tell news to, good news, bad news, gossip. She always ready to listen and if need be, she will get your straight.

D: Do you think it is important for daughters to compare themselves with their mothers?

H: NO. (Why not?) Because they are supposed to be their own woman and make their own life choices.

D: How is a relationship between a mother and a daughter different from a mother and a son?

H: I tried to teach my girls how to be girly and my boys how to manly. I wanted my girls to be able to fend for themselves as much as they could. I didn’t want my boys to be lazy. I wanted them to grow up and be productive citizens.

D: What was your first thought when you found out you were going to be a mother?

H: I was scared!! I was scared my mom was going to beat me. You know mamas beat their kids back then. (How old were you?) “Do I have to say it?” I was 15. (Did you tell your mama?) “No. A neighbor said I looked pregnant and did my mama no. I said No ma’am.” She ended up telling my Mama. That was a lesson learned. My mom was madder because someone else told her about her daughter being pregnant.”

How AWEsome is Mamma Hattie? She has been a blessing  (and a mother figure) from day one. I really wanted to highlight her and the relationship she has with my bestie.

If you would like to highlight someone for Legacy Letters, let me know!