I sat here for the longest time thinking of words that could be used to express the level of appreciation I have for the Black woman. Then while listening to my “Smooth Love Songs” playlist, “Soul of a Woman” by Johnny Gill starts playing.
“Ain’t nothing like the soul of a woman...” “Make you keep on goin when you feel like giving up” “Ain’t nothin like the soul of a woman” “When you ain’t got nothin, make you feel like a million bucks”
Boom! just like that——inspiration.
The soul of a woman…
A Black Woman, to be more specific.
Bruh WE owe them… They all deserve so much more than we give them. At the bare minimum we should be listening when they tell us that they do not feel protected. How many times do they have to tell us that referring to them as “females” in certain context is offensive to them? That’s just two examples. At any time you can log on to any one of your social media accounts and see black women airing out their grievances with black men, or the world in general.
Think about the women throughout your entire life who helped you, by doing things for you that you couldn’t or for some reason wouldn’t do for yourself. Anything from helping you with your homework to giving you a place to stay when you needed it the most. See, this read requires some transparency, and a whole bunch of self awareness on your part as a man to recognize what I’m saying here. Take a quick moment to reflect.
Have you ever seen what a family looks like when the last of the Matriarchs pass away?
Have you ever seen what a machine looks like when all the nuts & bolts are removed?
Have you ever seen what happens to an article of clothing when all of the threads have been removed?
You ever tried to drink from a straw with holes in it?
Seriously, take a second to imagine what your family would be like if the one woman that held it all together was no longer there…
Now imagine there being no one left to even take her place…
We don’t even possess the power to give them everything they ALL deserve…
I could die & come back one thousand times and still not be able to repay all of the Black women who have come through for me in this lifetime.
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They all contributed in some way to make me the person that I am..
I was raised in a family primarily comprised of women..
They were all educators &/or librarians who were independent thinkers with unrelenting strength, & wisdom…
I learned so much from each of them individually; as well as collectively…
I observed their triumphs, as well as their defeats & how they reacted to both…
I am the embodiment of them & their teachings…
I have a responsibility to carry & pass on their legacy..
They walked with, watched over, protected, guided, manipulated & assisted me in a multitude of ways to assure that I accomplish anything I set my sights on…
They still do now, perhaps even more so, beyond the limitations of this realm, from the ancestral plane…
Look, I don’t wanna go too deep for some of you (Insert laugh emoji). I just want every Black woman who reads this to know that there ARE men out here who have the same love & appreciation for you as I do. Allow this to be the voice for them.
(The editor is really gonna hate this part)
Ahem…
*Johnny Gill voice*
“Caus bayyyyybeeee yo love is sOoOO DiVINEeEeee”
“It’s JUsT LiKE PARADISEeEeE”
“&&&& ITs A BEAUTIFUL DESIGNNNNNN”
“Girl you give me LIFE…”
