Grandma Sadie

My grandma was my rock, my shield, and my foundation. One thing that I know about my grandma is that when you call, she answers. When you need her, she comes. I am so grateful for her presence in my life and I miss her dearly as I march through this life. Sidney is definitely my grandmother's grandchild as they held the same attributes and character. When you called Sidney, he answered. When you needed him, he came. To this day, I do not have anybody in this life that is as reliable and has a steady character the way those two did. They were strong as a rock.. My rock. They died only a few months between each other with my grandma dying December 2018 and Sidney passing February 2019. He was a baby and so was I. I was young when I got closer to my grandma, before she got sick with dementia in my teenage years. In saying this, she could only share with me age-appropriate stories and history as not to scare me as a child. But she shared the story of my great grandma that has always moved me. She explains my great grandma as being the most beautiful woman she has ever seen whose life ended short. My great grandma had a tragic life filled with pain as my grandma was the product of rape, as the rumor was/is in my family. When my grandma was a little girl, her and her mother went out. While they were out, a man approached her mother and made advances. My great grandma turned down his advances and the man killed my great grandma in front of my grandma. It is a story that always stayed with my grandma and even as an older woman nearing her 90s, she still missed the warmth of her mother dearly. She longed for the beauty of her mother.. A life that was cut so short. When my great grandmother was killed, they sent my grandma to live on a farm. I'm not familiar with the reasoning as to why they sent my grandma to a farm as opposed to living in more comfortable conditions for a small child, but she survived as best as she could as a young girl working on a farm. According to my dad, she was very apprehensive about hurting the animals such as killing the chickens for food. From volunteering at farms, I know that life on farms can be very tough and harsh. I can't imagine the strength that my grandma had to muster without her mother in such a pain-stricken environment. My grandma grew up to be a real estate agent, focusing on black people getting their first homes. Through this work, she was able to be recognized highly in her community. This recognition landed her a position as the secretary of the UNIA, a position she rightfully held until her death. I miss my rock. I miss my strength. Sidney and Grandma Sadie... my saving grace.