Richard Williams
Last week, I met my grandmother, my mother’s mom, for the first time. I knew her for most of my life through pictures and phone calls but never met her in person.
More than 52 years ago my granny left Jamaica for Birmingham, United Kingdom. She has never returned to Jamaica.
My Mother is a Mirror of My Granny
the week that I spent with my grandmother, I learnt a lot through our talks and quiet moments together. Just observing my granny, her mannerism, expressions and the way she moves, mirrors my mom. My granny and my mom are almost an exact copy of each other.
Caribbean Women are Strong
Like my mom, my granny is a strong Caribbean woman. She survived racism that was rampant in the 60’s and 70’s in United Kingdom. Her experiences in the UK are similar to many Caribbean immigrants; hard life, a tough and unfriendly environment didn’t make things easy. Throughout all these challenges, my grandmother showed strength and perseverance.
Faith
My granny remains positive because of her strong faith in God, support from her family and close network of friends. She believes that God, family and good friends, are necessary to overcome challenges and obstacles that might come along the way.
Live Your Life Without Excuses
Every morning, my granny was the first one to wake up and although she was in pain (she never admitted it), she would be in the kitchen looking after breakfast. Although her feet were often swollen, she would do her shopping, taking the bus to the Green or even going all the way to the mall. She didn’t once say she couldn’t do it, she just did it !
All the things that I have learnt from my granny in less than two weeks are lessons that grandmothers across the Caribbean teach their grand kids every single day.
I give thanks for getting the opportunity to not only see my grandmother alive but to be able to learn from her.
