Thursday, March 28, 2024

My Alternative Lifestyle: A Love Letter to My Granddaughter

*In honor of National Grandparent’s Day, celebrated on the Sunday following Labor Day, this is my affirmation of hopes, dreams, and unconditional love for my granddaughter.

Monika M. Pickett
Monika M. Pickett

 My Dearest Keegan,

You are the manifestation of a thousand dreams. I am in awe that you are finally here. Oftentimes, I would stare out the window and daydream of you. I wondered who you would look and act like. Whose personality would you have? Your mother’s or your father’s? You were a part of my dreams that society said would never exist.

At a time when it was not acceptable, I was a little girl determined to love whom I wanted to love, no matter the cost. I lost friends and family and yet I never wavered in who I knew God created me to be. Your great grandmother used to say, “God watches over children and fools.”

Thanks to God’s Grace and Mercy, I survived traumas that no child should ever have to endure. I pray that you never experience the pain and suffering I had to bear to become the woman I am today. My hope is by the time you are old enough to understand these words, the world will have become a better and kinder place.

shutterstock_401698966
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

You came into this world at one of the darkest times of my life. My heart was broken but I refused to allow my spirit to be broken. I prayed for God to send me a sign that He was preparing me for something magnificent. My grandmother used to say, “When there is a death, there is a birth.” Although I did not experience the physical death of a loved one, I experienced the death of what I thought was a love supreme. And then there was you.

I recall the hushed voices of the doctor and nurses in the delivery room when you were born. You came into this world with your eyes wide open. The doctor said you were one of the most alert babies he had ever delivered. In time, your radiant spirit shined through. You were such a happy baby. Your smile … your mere existence made everything better. Life seems so much brighter with you in it. You’ve made me a better, kinder, more forgiving person. Born on the same day as your paternal great grandmother and the same month as your paternal grandfather and my mother, I know you will have a heart of gold.

shutterstock_284522972
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

I love your big brother, Carter, just as much as I love you. And yet, I need to let you know what my hopes and dreams are for you as a female child who will become a woman. This world is a very different place for women. We are expected to carry the weight of the world upon our shoulders and in our wombs. You – like me, my mother, your mother and her mother – stand on the shoulders of the women who came before us. Your mommy, daddy and I will ensure that you are proud of both your African American and your Italian heritage. We will teach you to know your worth even when you are judged based on the color of your skin.

I hope life treats you well. I pray for your strength and guidance as you pursue your dreams. I hope you never dim your light for the comfort of others. I pray that you face your fears head on and watch how quickly they disappear. I pray you are kind to others who are less fortunate than you. You may need a helping hand one day.

shutterstock_22062463
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Most importantly, I want you to know God. I want you to know that He created you as you are and you are enough. That you are smart enough to become whomever and whatever you choose. That you are courageous enough to love whomever you want to love. That you are strong enough to withstand any storm that comes your way. And when you feel you cannot weather the storm, I want you to know that you have a praying grandmother. I will pray with and for you as our ancestors cover you in their hopes and dreams.

I will love you unconditionally, as my grandmothers loved me.

monika 2019_-147-2
Monika M. Pickett

Monika M. Pickett‘s latest release, Pretty Boy Blue-2nd Edition has become the number one best-seller on Amazon.com in the U.S. and Canada across multiple categories including lesbian romance and LGBTQ fiction.

Pretty Boy Blue - Amazon - 51qVLchPHVL

The sequel, The Darkest Shade of Blue, is also available on Amazon.

Darkest Shade of Blue - Amazon - 41-USenlCqL._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_

We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!

YOU MAY LIKE

SEARCH

- Advertisement -

TRENDING