“It
is difficult to make a man miserable while he feels worthy of himself and
claims kindred to the great God who made him.” |
Mammy is a woman to which we are all
familiar. Did she have a deep and pure awareness of her self-worth? Self-worth is defined
as "the opinion you have about
yourself and the value you place on yourself." And she is not just a character. To
some, she is quite familiar - whether in passing, in our own
families/households or even by a similarity we often sense within ourselves. Literature and film have depicted this
woman for years - "an idealized figure of a
caregiver: amiable, loyal, maternal, non-threatening, obedient, and
submissive."
Sometimes she was even characterized as sassy. But the strength of this
character, despite her native origin, I believe, transcends race...because
the message defies any physical interpretation. In fact, throughout the years, there
has been so much controversy surrounding "Mammy." Many resent her
appearance, seemingly subservient behavior and just who she was - a maid.
Some have even questioned where her loyalty really lied. But, if we are
willing to look beyond her obvious features, behavior or even her occupation;
it is there that we will encounter her significance. First of all, this woman was most times
religious. She kept the name of "Jesus" in our consciousness, when
we either hadn't yet received His salvation or were just too lazy to seek Him
for ourselves. And whenever we arrived at her doorstep, clearly bruised by
the realities of the world, she fed our hearts, souls and bodies with the
purest love she knew. Most of all, Mammy was our physical
witness of a woman, who regardless of what was going on around her or how she
was being perceived, she managed to have a smile on her face. A woman whose
knowing and identity came from a place that no human being could touch...a
secret place where only she and her God reside. |