NAIMA LETT – BLOG – HOLLYWOOD CHRISTIAN
ME & MY MOM
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MY MOM…

went to our heavenly home when I was a sophomore at Howard University (cancer). I subsequently spent a lot of time staring at a younger photo of her (above)… not because I missed her immensely, though that was true; but mostly I was trying to find some trace of myself in there somewhere – in her eyes, her smile.

I had just turned 20 years old, and I was still forming my own identity, regardless of what my husband Kevin would say, whom I met at 18. Hear him tell it, I was pretty confident back then. “Bold” is the term he used.

But I didn’t feel very bold that year. I teetered somewhere between auto-pilot numb and verge-of-tears fragile. Only an encounter with the Lord Himself put me on a path towards okay-ness.

My dad reminded me a lot that as time passed, things would get better. So true. The grief (Thank God for grief counseling!) eventually gave way to acceptance and peace. I still miss my mom, but it’s not painful anymore. I look forward with joy and anticipation to dancing and singing with her again some day and hearing her laugh! That laugh lit up many a’rooms and lifted countless burdens. She’s electric!

FUNNY THING

And the funny thing is when the grief lifted, I could see clearly. I had matured. I was very much my own woman, but I looked at Mama’s photo one day, and I could finally see the resemblance – the same shape eyes, nose, chin. Same height and build. Actually, at my age, she was smaller than me. I tried to put on her wedding dress and couldn’t fit. LOL!

WE LOOK TO YOU, MOM

Why was it so important for me to see myself in my mother’s eyes? Because from the time I was born, she helped me see who I was. I believed I could be and do anything because she started telling me so when I was still in diapers. I grew to be confident (okay… Bold!) because she was bold, and I walked in her 8.5 size heels (same size). She was a leader and a straight-shooter, and I’m told I picked that up along the way. And when I needed to find my eternal identity in Christ, the path was made easier because Mom & Dad had always pointed us to Him.

What am I saying? We look to you, Moms. As children, we see ourselves in you, first, and we believe what you say, and even more so, what you do. If you are fearless, we learn fearlessness. If you’re honest, we learn honesty. If you say we’re beautiful or handsome, and treat us as such, we believe you. Now, we’ll all go through that awkward-gotta-figure-things-out-for-ourselves phase, but we’ll bounce back a lot quicker if you’ve laid a solid foundation of truth that we never forget.

THANK YOU

Whether you’ve just turned 71 (Happy Birthday to You!) or you’re a new mommy at 31, please know how very influential you are in the lives of your children. We look to you and need you. We honor you and we celebrate you. Thank you for helping to shape who we are. Thank you especially for your love. We love you.

Happy Mother’s Day!
Naima

And if you’re in the LaLa this Sunday, we’re honoring moms at Hope in the Hills. RSVP today.

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

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