When Southern Mom died, my linesisters in the DMV rallied together, brought me dinner, bought my plane ticket home, and loved on me when I wanted to be left alone.

As the plane descended upon the city where I grew up, I cried silently to myself.  The flight attendant saw me, gave me some Kleenex, and asked if she could hug me when the plane landed.  I said a soft, “Yes.”

I’m not sure how they knew, but what each of those women gave me at those moments are what I needed, even if I didn’t want it or think I needed it at the time.

Upon my return to DC, I cooked dinner for linesisters.  I wish I had gotten the airline attendant’s name that was so kind to me so I could have properly thanked her.

It’s amazing to me how strangers or your friends or people you hardly know are so kind to you, not because they have to be but because they want to.

Since the passing of Southern Mom, the relationship between my maternal family and me has not been great.  I know I haven’t behaved perfectly, but I definitely feel like some people have done things and treated me unfairly when they shouldn’t have.  I don’t want or need to go into details, but I’m always amazed at how sometimes your friends will treat you better than family.

So, I’m just going to do what I’ve been doing for the past three years-pray for everyone and live my life the way I know my mother would want me to.  I see a little bit more of her everyday in the things that I do.  And I hope that I am making her proud.

Hopefully one day things will work out and get back to normal with my family.  But until then, I can’t let what’s bad hold me back from doing what’s good.  I pray that those of you that read this will remember that as long as you are doing what you are supposed to do, that’s all that matters.

Until next time, I’m just a Southern girl…in the city.