14 Comments
User's avatar
Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

You are blessed to have the stories you do have of your grandmothers and the women in your line. Even the bits and pieces you do have, they can give you something to hold as you sway and sing "there-there" while you pat-pat for yourself when "cry the tears of the women in my bloodline. I hold the hope that they rest in peace."

this is a beautiful piece. thank you for sharing it with me.

Expand full comment
Teyani Whitman's avatar

Thank you Teri Leigh. 💕 I was able to gain a bit more insight from a medium I have worked with in the past, confirming my suspicions about repeating cycles of abuse.

I’m glad to uncover them, and speak truth through a small ceremony, bringing their stories to the light and thus healing them.

I’ve worked with this particular medium for a few years now, and what he sees and shares has convinced me beyond any questions that he’s the real deal. All the things he told me to allow my parents to confirm it is them is information that has never been published anywhere. Perhaps I should write about him and my interactions with him. ?

Expand full comment
Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

That would be an interesting story too!

Expand full comment
Teyani Whitman's avatar

Although it might well be way too intense for my stack. It would have to come with all sorts of trigger warnings 😕

Expand full comment
Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

I get it.

Expand full comment
Patrick Muindi's avatar

An excellent tribute to these women, Teyani. They lived the lives of their times, and in doing so, they made it possible for life to keep flowing, just as a river does in keeping the water flowing. Here, life is preserved and continued, which is why you are right to honor these women, yourself included.

Expand full comment
Teyani Whitman's avatar

Yes. Exactly. Thank you, again, for your river metaphor. They lived as they did so that I can live now.

Expand full comment
Cherie Lee's avatar

Teyani, this is beautiful! Oh my goodness, what women went through. So strong, so sad. Thank you for sharing their stories and photos!

Expand full comment
Teyani Whitman's avatar

Thank you Cherie. I appreciate the kind words. It truly is both strong and sad.

Expand full comment
Diane Decker's avatar

So well written my dear friend. You made me wonder at a deeper level what it must have been like for my “Grandma Downhome” (as we called her..the other grandmother was called “Grandma Overhome”) who raised eight children on her own when her husband died suddenly. My Mom was just a young teenager when he passed away from some sort of seizure that she and several of her siblings witnessed. Grandma went to work at the local hospital as an LPN. She was buried with her LPN pin attached to her funeral dress. She was so proud of her career and her ability to raise her eight children.

Expand full comment
Teyani Whitman's avatar

8 children. Wow. The things older generations have gone through are powerful. Thank you for sharing this story.

Expand full comment
Jeanne Saville's avatar

How incredibly beautiful, deep and true. Thank you for your words 🙏🏼

Expand full comment
Teyani Whitman's avatar

Thank you for your kind words Jeanne.

Expand full comment
Alicia Kwon's avatar

<3 <3 <3

Expand full comment