Personal
Childhood Web
Susan Brown (Mom):
My mother married at fourteen years of age. She had six children. I was child number four. I love my mom. My brother next to me was epileptic. He had grand-mal seizures. I can always remember being around when it
happened. My mom would always pray,
asking God for a healing. During these
times of uncertainty she always made me feel safe. After all the excitement had passed and my
brother was home from the hospital she somehow made me feel special by
including me in his recovery. Through
her loving nature I learned to have compassion for others and turn to prayer in
time of crises. Today my brother is free
of seizures, serving in the Air Force reserves and preaching the gospel. I attest this to the prayers of my mother.
Herman Brown (deceased): My dad had the most influence over my life
and still does. He was the oldest son of
seven children. He often told a story of
how he wanted to finish high school and join the military but could not because
being the oldest son he had to help his father in the fields. My father struggled with alcoholism and
promiscuity in which he overcame both and became an awesome husband to my
mother and a much better father. My
father always encouraged me to be strong, independent and to work hard. These
values have contributed to a lot of my life’s success. I truly thank my dad for this.
Ms. Stephenson (Elementary School Teacher): Ms. Stephenson was my first grade
teacher. She saw something in me that
was special. She is the first person I
can recall giving me a hug. I’m sure my
mom gave me hugs when I was little but I just don’t remember. My family was not real affectionate. My parents allowed me spend a weekend with
her. It was so special because she had a
bathroom. At that time, I lived in a
home without indoor plumbing. On the
last day of school Ms. Stephenson gave all the students a big hug as we walked
out of her class. She was a loving and
kind teacher.
Joyce Garcia (childhood friend): Joyce lived with her brother and
grandmother. We all belonged to the same
church. Everyday afterschool Joyce had
to run errands for her grandmother. I
would always go with her. We would walk
to the store and post office. Joyce and
I would always talk about our plans for the future. Joyce was a few years older than me but she never did or said anything negative
about my hopes and dreams even though they were very different from hers. She told me I was smart, pretty and had a
good singing voice. She would always say
she wished she could sing like me. Joyce
and I continued our friendship throughout adulthood until her untimely death.
Grandma Adeline:
Grandma took care of me whenever my mother worked or ran errands. She was very soft spoken, a lot like my
mother. Grandma told wonderful stories
about witches and ghosts. She cooked
awesome meals and I will never forget her biscuits. They were good hot or cold. There were times she would take me in the
fields with her to work. She taught me
how to pull tobacco plants so I could earn money. She was always very patient
with me. I can never recall her yelling
or raising her voice. She always wanted what was best for me.
