Party People,

My grandmother is battling terminal cancer. That is, if you can battle terminal cancer. Our past few interactions are me watching her sleep and wonder if she can hear me when I talk to her. It has made me regret the missed opportunities when I could have talked to her freely when she was healthy and cognitive. I mean we live in the same state. How sad is that? Leaving me in a sad state. We aren’t getting any younger and tomorrow is promised to no one. My mother lives 15 minutes from me. I don’t see her enough. And I see her slowing down. Prompting God to show me a large sign that says, “SLOW DOWN”. Mama told me, “Son, don’t nothing beat family”. Ok, maybe I made her sound like Aunt Jemima in a “To Kill a Mockingbird” type script. She’s really an educated woman with 2 Master’s Degrees in English and Library Sciences. But that’s how it translated in my head. And it pierced like a stake to the heart. My father has 12 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, and I haven’t even started my journey into father hood. Am I letting time slip away? There is so much I want to prove to them. I want them to see my family. I want my grandmother to see my family. I haven’t seen some of my closest cousins in forever. I want them to know that I am doing ok beyond a facebook post.

“Don’t nothing beat family.” When everyone has turned against you and everyone has counted you out, your family will still be standing there with their arms wide open. They don’t judge you…okay, maybe they do, but that’s because they want the best for you (hopefully). They love you unconditionally. How have I repaid them? By being too busy to see them. There is always the next show, the next social, the next community project, trying to become whatever it was I set out to become. Sometimes I don’t know what that is anymore. Is it worth it? Emphatically NO! I’ve become uprooted and am trying to replant myself. I have to sow more seeds to strengthen my Family Tree. While I’ve been trying to till my little plot of land, I’ve let family members fade away like vignettes in picture books.

Where do I start? I haven’t gotten that far yet. I just know that the first step is to pick up the phone and say, “What’s up”. We haven’t had a family reunion in a while, which is bad when I’m an event planner. That needs to be high on the task list. I’m sure there will always be a laundry list with your family. The most important thing is to keep them a priority. “Don’t nothing beat family.” This New Year can not be like last year. Communication was far, few, and between. Sometimes we try to keep it like that because they say that you can’t choose your family, but you can choose your friends. However your friends didn’t raise you. Your friends didn’t shape and mold your experiences. Your friends didn’t sacrifice to give you more than they had. Your friends will change like a spades hand. Your family is constant. So why wouldn’t we be a constant for them? “Don’t nothing beat family…NOTHING”. I added a “nothing” for you mama. Because that’s where something comes from…

Fin

**This blog was written last week.  On January 15th, Glendora Ryce lost that battle with cancer.  RIP Granny Glen**

E. Christopher “Cocktails” Cornell
Founder/CEO
E Period, LLC
www.eperiodllc.com
www.eperiodatl.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/eperiodllc

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!

Advertise on the E Period Newsletter! Over 34,000 members can't be wrong!

Email eperiod@gmail.com for all of your talent booking needs. Bands, DJ's, HBO Def Poets, BET Comedians, etc.

WE ALSO DO CONSULTING, PROMOTIONS, AND EVENTS PLANNING!! CALL ME!!

BOOK CHRIS "COCKTAILS" CORNELL FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH!!

****************************************

   CHECK OUT OUR CASINO COMMERCIAL!!

PIC OF THE WEEK: Prominent Partner - E. Christopher "Cocktails" Cornell

ADVERTISE WITH E PERIOD! eperiod@gmail.com