As I signed onto the World Wide Web today, I glanced through the headlines and this is what I saw: “15 year old boy cries blood, UK official makes stunning claim, college legend hits rock bottom, Taye Diggs welcomes first child, and Kathy Griffin almost died from lipo". I immediately had a moment from John Singleton's Movie, "Boys in the hood." I felt as if, either the world don't know, won't show, or they just don’t care about what happened to my Auntie. As for me, I watch extensive information channels, MSNBC, CNN, HLN, TVONE, THE HISTORY CHANNEL AND A&E. I watch these channels to reach outside the box of the San Francisco, Bay Area, as a way to connect with others that are feeling the daily; depressing; ordinary; extraordinary; glorious; painful; physical; sad; stressful; and theoretical task of living.I figure the local news should be about the community and its news, not focused on Hollywood and fiction. Please excuse me if I'm all over the place right about now...but I have good reason. You see, the last Matriarch – a true soldier and warrior up to the end of her era has passed from life to death. This happened Friday evening as the sun was preparing to set from its day of bursting through fog, smog and human waste of the earth, and everything in it. LaDell Brown was 90 years old. And Scripture informs us in the book of Ecclesiastes chapters 01-04; that there is a time and season for everything under the sun. There is a time to laugh, cry, mourn, comfort and sometimes just be quiet. I’ve recently read a book by Patti Rice titled, "Reinventing the Woman" and in this book, one of the main characters (Nora) had a saying when someone would say, "I'm sorry." She would respond, "Be sorry for battered women and hungry children." I found that saying to be deep, and it fits for those that would think sympathy is the reason for this blog. Sympathy nor sorrow are the purpose of my blog. Prior to January of 2009 maybe, as I hadn't permitted GOD to "reinvent" me. I kept reinventing myself and I lost who I truly was as I attempted to please, displease or annoy others. That was a stressful existence, and I loved it. It fit the personality of the persons I was trying to be. Cold, callous, hateful and ungodly, and I was dedicated to being all I shouldn't be in order to deny who I really was. LaDell Brown was the total opposite, she never complained about situations or adversity. She found strength in challenges and comfort in being calm. Auntie was nonsense intolerant. She saw the silver lining in the darkest times. She served the city of San Francisco over thirty years to the capacity of equality and justice for all. She gave everyone the benefit of doubt and motivated you to learn and become educated, and then to utilize that education in order to live among society as an investor to its existence. “Find a need and fill it, don't just talk about it” was her motto, well one of them anyway. Her motto was the uplifting of whatever was falling down. She was the mother of one, Perry and she raised him as a single mother even though she remained married but separated from his father and in very good relations to him, they functioned as a family with separate quarters but equal love. You couldn't go around Auntie depressed, she wouldn't tolerate negativity. She would shut you down and clean you out. She could really deliver a story of substance and history. I learned so much about life from her points of view. Aunt LaDell worked with the mayor’s office and in various EOC and social programs and divisions to assist the fallen to stand up and eventually fly. She was the non biological mother of thousands. If you had her in your corner, you had all the support you needed. She was strong, kind, gentle, stern, opinionated, and humble. A Jane of all trades, she would be what she needed to be when it was necessary. She was an honorary adviser for physical fitness to anyone within her reach. She was a member of Fitness U.S. A. originally in Stones town, but she preferred the one in Daly City. I remember when it was Jack La lane's European Health Spa. She went daily until the last two years of her life, after the surgery to repair a valve in her heart. Her good nature even came forward after this evasive surgery, saying, "Baby I think they gave my boobs a lift" at 88 she stuck her chest out and struck a pose two weeks after the surgery. My sister and I were blessed to have gotten many of Auntie’s friends who were still living together at Frisco's Art Gallery at the wharf. It was beautiful to be in the room with such rich talent and history. The co owner of Bayview Mortuary, a member of Oakland's Education task force was present and the Mayor of Oakland, Ron Dellums sent a representive of his staff to present her with a letter of recognition. She would tell us to spend time and share things with your family; she was strong about family participation and support. She advised family outings and reunions other than funerals to uplift and support one another in life. She called it "Giving flowers while they are alive" to smell and appreciate them. Her idea of giving was sharing coffee, taking the bus together, going to Mass, graduations, job promotions, visiting and complimenting. She would say, "It’s not what you say but what you do" and "what you say if you're saying it from your heart". She would say if you can't visit, call. If you can't send flowers send a note, a card, draw a picture, share some watermelon or ice cream. I have in the last 10+ years developed into a better being with a softer tone being in her presence and emulating her spirit. She helped me shed that veil of darkness that I clung to for 30+ years and taught me to love my family and appreciate everyone’s soul as precious gifts from GOD to help us learn and grow in life. She was one of a kind and a gift to have. Rest my dear Aunt; you've fought a good fight. --Posted By FATIMA B. to FATIMA'S PERSPECTIVE ON ISSUES at 9/05/2009 09:25:00 AM Edited by Miss LeJeana(Fatima's babysister)
Signing on to the web today and glancing through the headlines, "15 year old boy cries blood, UK official makes stunning claim, college legend hits rock bottom, Taye Diggs welcomes first child, Kathy Griffin almost died from lipo". I had a moment from John Singleton's Movie, "Boys in the hood". I felt as if the world don't know, don't care or just doesn't give a hoot. See, I watch extensive information channels, MSNBC, CNN, HLN, TVONE, THE HISTORY CHANNEL AND A & E. I watch those channels to reach outside the box of the San Francisco, Bay Area to connect with others that are feeling the daily, depressing, ordinary, extraordinary, glorious, painful, physical, sad, stressful, theoretical task of living. I figure the local news should be about the community and its news, not hollywood and fiction. Bare with me I'm all over the place right about now...
The last patriarch, a true soldier and warrior to the end of her era in my life passed from life to death last evening as the sun was preparing to set from it's day of bursting through fog, smog and human waste of the earth and everything in it. LaDell Brown was 90 years old. The Scripture informs us that there is a time and season for everything under the sun in the book of Ecclesiastes chapters 01-04. Time to laugh, cry, mourn, comfort and sometimes just be quiet.
I read a book by Patti Rice titled, "Reinventing the woman" one of the characters Nora, when someone would say, "I'm sorry". Nora would respond, "be sorry for battered women and hungry children".
I found that deep and it fits for those that would think sympathy is the reason for this blog. Prior to January of 2009, maybe as I hadn't permitted GOD to "reinvent" me. I kept reinventing myself and I lost who I truly was attempting to please, displease or annoy others. That was stressful and I loved it. It fit the personality of the persons I was trying to be. Cold, callous, hateful and ungodly. It doesn't even look good in print, but I was dedicated to being all I shouldn't be to deny who I am.
LaDell Brown was the total opposite, she never complained about situations or adversity. She found strength in challenges and comfort in being calm. Auntie was nonsense intolerant. She saw the silver lining in the darkest times. She served the city of San Francisco over thirty years to the capacity of equality and justice for all. She gave everyone benefit of doubts and motivated you to learn and become educated and then to utilize that education to living among society as an investor to its existence.
"Find a need and fill it don't just talk about it", was her motto, well one of them anyway. Her motto was the uplifting of whatever was falling down. She was the mother of one, Perry and she raised him as a single mother even though she remained married but separated from his father and in very good relations to him, they functioned as a family with separate quarters but equal love. You couldn't go around Auntie depressed, she wouldn't tolerate negativity. She would shut you down and clean you out. She could really deliver a story of substance and history. I learned so much about life from her points of view. Aunt LaDell worked with the mayors office and in the community services programs and divisions to assist the fallen to stand up and eventually fly. She was the non biological mother of thousands. If you had her in your corner, you had all the support you needed. She was strong, kind, gentle, stern, opinionated, and humble. A Jane of all trades, she would be what she needed to be when it was necessary. She was an advocate for physical fitness to anyone. A member of Fitness U.S. A. in Daly City(formerly Jack La Lane's European Health Spa). She went daily until the last two years of her life, after the surgery to repair a valve in her heart. She even laughed about that saying, "Baby I think they gave my boobs a lift" at 88 she stuck her chest out and struck a pose two weeks after surgery.
My sister and I were blessed to have got the friends of hers that were still living together at Frisco's Art Gallery at the wharf. It was beautiful to be in the room with such rich talent and history. The co owner of Bayview Mortuary, The member of Oakland's Education task force and Ron Dellums the Mayor of Oaklands PR presented her with a letter of praise from the Mayor. She would tell us to spend time and share things with your family, she was strong about family participations and support. She advised family outings and reunions other than funerals to uplift and support one another in life. She called it "Giving flowers while they are alive to smell and appreciate them". Her idea of giving was sharing coffee, riding the bus together, going to Mass, graduations, job promotions, visiting and complimenting. She would say, "it's not what you say but what you do" and "what you say if you're saying it from your heart". She would say if you can't visit, call. If you can't send flowers send a note, a card, draw a picture, share some watermelon or ice cream.
I have in the last 10+ years developed into a better being with a softer tone being in her presence and emulating her spirit. She helped me shed that vail of darkness that I clung to for 30+ years and taught me to love my family and appreciate everyones soul as precious gifts from GOD to help us learn and grow in life. She was one of kind and a gift to have. Rest my dear Aunt, you've fought a good fight.
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