Giving Flowers Now

Listening to this episode of the Meditative Story Podcast this morning, I was prompted to think of someone whose talents, gifts, and kindness is underappreciated.  The first person to come to mind is one of my most favorite humans on earth.  Today’s blog post is my way of giving this person her flowers, now.  She deserves to be honored and recognized for all the ways that she shows up powerfully in this world and shows up in others’ lives to make a difference. 

This angel on earth’s legal name is Lillie Williams. But, she’s known by far more than the 2 sons she gave birth to as Momma.  By many more that she shares no blood relation, she is called sister, auntie, grandma/nanna.  Whoever needs her and finds their way to her is met with open doors and open arms.  Always.  She consistently stands in the gap for people in need and I am no exception.

I met Momma Lillie in 2003 as a Federal Work Study student. My oldest son Warren was a few months old, and I needed a job that I could work as many hours as possible while finishing my degree.  She was the Human Resources Manager in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech and she hired me.  Little did I know that this work study job was going to set the trajectory of my life in such a grand way.

Lillie never meets a stranger.  She’s one of those people that can talk to and relate with anyone from any walk of life.  If I had to call out her special gift, I would say that’s it.  Her spirit reaches you before her body does.  Her energy is infectious.  Her smile will turn your day around.  Her hugs feel as though she’s gathered all the love of all the grandmothers that ever grandmothered as she embraces you.  She is truly one of a kind. She is a blessing.

As her employee, I watched this woman bend over backwards to help international students stay in the country and stay in school.  She went to bat, time and time again, for faculty during their promotion and tenure application process.  I was only ONE of her MANY work study students that she helped get through college. Throughout the years, she directly and indirectly mentored students; she sowed seeds of love, faith, and hope in all of us.  She provided opportunities that we wouldn’t have otherwise had.  For me personally, she made the biggest difference in my ability to still graduate despite having a child in college.

Since I was a work study student, I could work up to 20 hours a week.  I needed every single one of those hours because I needed every single dollar I could get.  No matter how crazy or jacked up my schedule was, she let me cram in hours whenever and however I could.  She let me bring my son to work when I had to.  And there were even times when she watched him so that I could go to class.  To this day, my sons call her “Nana”.  She gave me rides to and from campus.  She would take me to Piccadilly for lunch and fed me during times I likely would not have eaten, otherwise.  I cannot even begin to recount all the ways that she allowed God to work through her in my life.  But what stands out the most when I think about her role in my life, and the reason I call her Momma, is because she believed in me when I was the most insecure and most doubtful of myself.
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When my academic advisor told me in my 6th year that I might as well give up because I was not going to graduate, she countered that with such a steadfast faith in my abilities that I believed her over my advisor.  It took me a long time and I experienced many setbacks, but she was right.  I did indeed graduate, with my 3-year-old son in tow.  I remember crying to her countless times when I was heartbroken from failed relationship after failed relationship, wondering who was going to love me AND my child.  She would listen and console, then council me.  She would validate my feelings, then remind me of who I am and whose I am.  It’s hard, if not impossible, to stay down on yourself when you’re in her presence.  She was out here adjusting other women’s crowns long before it was a meme.  My reflection this morning made me wonder who adjusts Lillie’s crown?  Who reaffirms just how special she is and combats the naysayers that try to dim her light throughout the years? Because a light like hers does not shine without opposition.  Who, among those of us she’s helped throughout her life and career, takes the time to thank her and let her know just how important she is? Today, I want to do exactly that!

Momma Lillie:

“Thank you!  Thank you! Thank you!!!  Thank you for being you.  Thank you!  May you achieve your potential, making even more of a difference in the world than you already do today.”
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Thank you!  Thank you for being more than a mother, sister, auntie, and grandma.  Thank you for always showing up for others.  May you show up for yourself with that same energy, today and all the days of your life.  Because your life matters and I love you immensely.   I hope you enjoy your flowers.