From now on I am part of you
I don’t know how or why I ever found this song by Mason  Jennings but Ayrie and Shiya and I listened to it a lot those last few months we lived in Chicago… the spring of 2009.  I always thought it was about a Black man being lynched to the mob leaving parting words to his son who was there watching.  The father tells his son to live a life of love and empowerment rather than hatred and fear.
Iremembered the song as I was driving Shiya to school this morning.  I knew I wanted to hear it and I knew I was going to cry.  To bawl.  So I waited until after I dropped Shiya off to listen to it.  I remembered holding Ayrie on my lap singing along to the song together.  I remember wondering if I would ever be able to be as strong as the father was asking his son to be.  Little did I know that I would soon find out.
I italicized the last two stanzas because these are the stanzas that are the most meaningful to me.
xo
nora
Adrian by Mason Jennings
Looking down from the apple tree
My hands tied in back of me
With this rope below my chin
We don’t fear death my Adrian
Trust me son that one day soon
You’ll be on the bottom where the boat breaks through
To let our freedom in again
We don’t fear death my Adrian
From now on I am part of you
I am the story that you’ll tell
Let my life empower you
Let my trouble teach you well
Let your burning hatred go
Learn yourself until you know
That fear is where all hatred begins
We don’t fear death my Adrian
From now on I am part of you
I am the story that you’ll tell
Let my life empower you
Let my trouble teach you well
As they set my last breath free
Turn your eyes but don’t fail to see
The love you feel inside your skin
We don’t fear death my Adrian
I’ve never heard that song, but it’s so awful and amazing. I can see why you’re drawn to it. The strength of some people, including you, blows me away sometimes.
You are so strong, Nora, so strong. The mother you are is always an inspiration to me, from allowing creative experiments to leading a life of example and honor. You are a mother not only to your boys, but also to your community. Your ability to nurture and create (even through grief) is boundless.
xoxo