Thanks Ma

Dear Ma, aka Ruby Lee

So I know it’s been a minute but I’m writing this letter hoping that the angels pass it along to you in heaven. Guess what mama? You won’t believe what I just did recently. I actually wrote and published my first book. Crazy right? I felt like you of all people needed to hear this good news because if it wasn’t for you none of this would’ve been possible.

Growing up I remember all those long nights you had me and Rudy reading to the whole family after dinner before bed. It’s funny because I used to complain all the time about how that was the hardest thing in the world. I was like “bruh my mama is making me read tonight. That’s like the most grueling task ever”, but I did it because of I didn’t that means there was a whoopin waiting for me. Unlike me, Rudy actually enjoyed the reading and I kinda envied that energy because I felt like it would’ve helped me stomach it better.

I always thought it was funny how I got through those long nights of reading. You always told us we could bring home whatever we wanted to read from the library or school, just as long as we were reading every night. I personally always had a preference to bring home the books that were based off my favorite movies and tv shows, especially Goosebumps by RL Stine.

I always brought Goosebumps home because it was only a hundred plus pages and because it was one of my favorite tv shows growing up. I remember when I brought home a third Goosebumps book to read for like the third week in a row you jokingly asked me “Joe why the hell you keep bringing these books home?” Interestingly enough you never had a real problem with it and even enjoyed hearing the stories. I guess the way you looked at it was as long as we were reading I guess it was okay.

At the time I remember those nights as being the most detestable nights of both elementary and middle school as a kid, but looking back on it now those were some of the greatest nights of my life and I’m grateful you gave them to me. What I didn’t realize at the time was not only were you preparing me for a productive future, but you were also molding me into the author I didn’t know I was meant to be. It started with me doing better in my school life, slowly but surely.

We all know I was the laziest kid ever when it came to being a student, but thankfully I even just barely made it at times because all the reading and writing you had me doing growing up. After you passed away I finally became a good student in school. This was best displayed in my senior year in high school. I felt like I needed to be better for you because my education was extremely important to you of course. When I graduated high school and got my first degree in college I knew I was gonna be a writer.

This I knew because of how well it all showed up in my work ethic in school. Fast forward to today and I have successfully written and published my first book and I owe it all to you. I always tell everyone that you are my biggest inspiration behind becoming a writer. I wish you were here in the flesh to see it. I always picture you sitting on the couch reading it while eating sunflower seeds and Diet Pepsi like you used to when I was little. I even dedicated this book to you, so for how you prepared me for the world that I’ve grown into and put me on the path I was meant to be, I thank you ma.

Thank you for reading. My first book “Melanin Memoirs: A poetic story of mental health in the Black Community” is available on Amazon Kindle today.