Loving, knowing, trusting, accepting, and valuing myself at 61 is an ongoing W.I.P.P. journey.

Woman
Intentionally
Patiently
Progressing

The grooviness of today is reflected in a few thoughts below.

-Experienced a sunny Tuesday by waking up on my own without the alarm

-Had an intense morning walk and grateful I made it up the steep hill on 15th Street (at least it is for me)

-Stayed focused on work projects

-Received much needed support and information for achieving a personal goal

-Grocery shopping day brought a great deal on avocados and kale

-Afternoon walk gave us a chance to speak to neighbors

-Errands to the grocery store and post office

-A special treat: matcha coconut milk latte from Busboys and Poets

-Evening sunshine and journal writing

-Gave myself grace for what is still left on my to do list cuz’ I’m a WIPP: a Woman Intentionally and Patiently Progressing

-Grateful for this life I get to live at 61

These reflections represent my version of what I am currently reflecting on and writing about — Thriving Mindfully As We Age!

This week, I am focused on creating two collages that honor my grandaunts Mabel and Paulyne Roberts, the eldest daughters of my great-grandmother Eunice Ann Thomas Roberts.

Today, I created a collage dedicated to my grandaunt Mabel’s journey from teenage womanhood to adult womanhood. I used photos of Aunt Mabel’s childhood years, teens, twenties, and thirties. One photos of her mother Eunice Ann that was taken in the 1920s was added. photos.

I added one Nyame Dua Ghanaian Adinkra symbol to the collage. Nyame Dua means “Tree of God” and reminds of the Divine’s presence and protection. The symbol is also used as a divine and ancestral altar.The collage functions as an ancestral altar.

As I approach the Spring season and beginning of a new astrological year (starts March 20), I am getting energized by the divine downloads I received from Creator, loving + wise +well ancestors, Orishas, and my spiritual tribe about aging on March 9th. They are rooted in my mantra, “BE EXTRA” and guiding my current writing. So look forward to reading more about my aging journey.

They are helping me embrace, enjoy, and celebrate my aging journey at 61.

I invite you to read and reflect on them.

May you be inspired to explore your own aging journey no matter how old you are.

DIVINE DOWNLOADS

Happy International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month (which are every day)!

I am using this month to create digital collages that celebrate my womanline ancestors.

Last week, I focused my creative energy on completing three digital collages for my Ancestral Medicine collection that celebrate my great-great-grandmother Francis “Fannie” Daniel Thomas and the journey of girlhood to young womanhood of her daughter, Eunice Ann Thomas Roberts (my great-grandmother) and granddaughter Frederica Stanley Roberts Leeke (my grandmother).

I am still marinating on the names of the collages and will share them later when they reveal themselves. Gotta honor the divine creative process!

I added two Nyame Dua Ghanaian 🇬🇭 Adinkra symbols to each collage. Nyame Dua means “Tree of God” and reminds of the Divine’s presence and protection. The symbol is also used as a divine and ancestral altar. Each collage functions as an ancestral altar.

Great-Great Grandmother Francis “Fannie” Daniel Thomas

Collage #2: Great-Great-Grandmother Eunice Ann Thomas Roberts

Collage #3: Grandmother Frederica Stanley Roberts Leeke

Every day I get the privilege to serve as an ancestral ambassador for my loving + wise + well ancestors.

They bless me with their love, presence, power, protection, wisdom, and life stories.

I receive them with gratitude and pour libations in their honor through my creativity.

I created this digital collage entitled “Pouring Libations to Great-Great-Grandmother Sarah Ann Montgomery Jones’ Lineage and Legacy.” It represents sacred generational wealth!!!

While reading her death certificate and other documents on ancestry.com, I learned that Great-Great-Grandmother Sarah was born the daughter of Mary Jane Collins Montgomery Washington and William John Montgomery on July 14, 1857, in Helena, Arkansas.

Her mother Mary Jane Collins Montgomery Washington was born the daughter of Lilly Webb (born in North Carolina) and Carter Collins (born in Alabama) on July 14, 1832, in Alabama. She died on January 1, 1912, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her father William John Montgomery (known by his middle name John) was born in Arkansas.

According to her obituary, she attended Freedman Schools in the south before earning a college degree in the north that prepared her for a teaching career. She taught school in Arkansas for several years.

She married my great-great-grandfather John Henry Jones (born in California in approximately 1830) between 1870 and 1872. They had eight daughters and three sons in Arkansas, Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. She made sure all of her children had an opportunity to get educated.

When he died at the age of 70 in 1900, she became a widow and began working as a laundress while raising her children in Louisville, Kentucky.

When she died of pneumonia at the age of 80 on February 18, 1933, in the home of her daughter Lillian Jones Brown, she had survived the death of her second husband Alendas Hoke in 1911 (approximately) and married her third husband Henry Hughes in 1928. She had been living in Indianapolis, Indiana for over 40 years and was active in her children’s lives and church community.

I included two photos of her and photos of her daughters Lillian Jones Brown (a wife, mother, drama school teacher, nonprofit founder and leader, and honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority), Lavinia Jones Toles (a wife, mother, and social worker), Jessie Jones Gentry (a wife and mother), Florida Jones Leeke (a wife, mother, social worker, school teacher, principal, and member, national officer of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, and my great-grandmother), Betty Jones (died as a girl), and Susan Jones (a writer and nurse) in the collage. I did not have photos of Edna (died at 19) and Sanoma Jones.

I placed photos of my grandaunt Lillian Jane Leeke Schell (a wife, mother, French teacher, and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority), the daughter of my great-grandmother Florida , and myself at the bottom of the collage.

I used my painting “One Drop of Black Blood #2” as the background for the collage.

I am super happy that I completed the Februllage challenge a few days early. This creative journey helped me establish a weekly and sometimes daily art-making practice. It helped me practice digital mindfulness and self-care, reduce stress and anxiety, and experience joy and gratitude.

One of the biggest takeaways is that I learned how to make digital collages for FUN without judging myself. I also expanded my knowledge of Canva.

Most of the digital collages I made during the challenge have honored my loving + wise + well ancestors and living family members. I am including some in my new Ancestral Medicine Collection.

Last, the Februllage Day 28 prompt, made me think about the last children born in families, including my grandaunt Nancy Catherine Gartin Cobb (ancestor; my grandfather Robert’s baby sister), aunt Veronica Ann (“Ronnie”) Gartin Montgomery (ancestor; my mother Theresa’s baby sister), and first cousin Gail Lynne Gartin (my uncle Bob’s baby daughter). Each of them are the last daughters in their families. I created a digital collage to celebrate them. It is called “The Last Gartin Daughters: Nancy Catherine, Veronica Ann & Gail Lynne.”

I selected a vintage background and rose and changed some of the filters on the photos I included. The rose represents love and beauty. All of the Gartin daughters are beautiful and have been loved by their families in different ways.

Seven Ghanaian Adinkra symbols were added to the collage. See the list below.

1. Akoma means “heart” and symbolizes love, goodwill, patience, faithfulness, fondness, endurance, and consistency.
2. Ananse Ntontan means “spider’s web” and represents creativity and wisdom.
3. Duafe means ‘wooden comb” and  represents beauty, femininity, and cleanliness.
4. Gye Nyame means “except God” and represents Creator’s omnipotence and supremacy.
5. Odo Nnyew Fie Kwan means “love does not lose its way home” and represents the power of love.
6. Sankofa means “go back and get it” and represents the wisdom of learning from the past so you can build for the future.
7. Osram ne Nsoromma means “moon and star” and represents faith, love, harmony, and femininity.

I’ve always wanted to know more about my great grandfather John William Johnson’s sisters, Mayme and Carrie. To date, I have only one photo of my great-grandaunt Mayme Johnson Mitchell Joyner Jeffries and some basic life facts from Ancestry.com. The photo I have of Aunt Mayme was taken when she was a young woman. Her beautiful eyes and stylish hat and clothing are filled with stories. That’s what makes her so mysterious to me.

Here’s what I know about Aunt Mayme. She was born on January 11, 1893, in Indiana to Mary Elizabeth Litsey Johnson and William Ernest Johnson. She was their fifth child and had one sister and five brothers. She grew up in North Vernon, Indiana, was able to read and write, and worked as a maid when she was a 17 years old. I think she attended elementary and junior high school. I think she may have attended high school too. Aunt Mayme married three times. TO my knowledge, she didn’t have any children. She made her transition on February 18, 1952, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The Februllage Day #27 prompt is lace. I imagine wearing lace clothing might have been one of Aunt Mayme’s favorite things during the 1900s and 1910s. That’s why I named it “The Mystery of A Young Lady’s Lace Moments.” I used a lace graphic from Canva and included five copies of Aunt Mayme’s photo. I changed the filter on the photos to create five different photos.

Today, grief woke me up and left me hugging myself as I felt the physical absence of missing my mom Theresa. Mommy ascended to ancestorhood two years and seven months ago. Although I talk to her spirit and feel her love and presence each day, I still miss not being able to call and spend time with her. I miss our conversations, lunches, shopping trips, going to the movies, organizing her closets, travel adventures, and so much more.

I used my grief to make a digital collage entitled “A Daughter’s Grief X-Ray.” It expresses my interpretation of x-ray, the Februllage Day #26 prompt. I found an x-ray graphic on Canva and created a blue background. I added a photo of my mom and I posing together with our Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority hand symbol during my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary in 1986 and placed it in my heart to remind myself that she is always with me. Four of my favorite photos of us are added at the bottom of the collage.

If you are experiencing grief and need a moment to ground yourself with stillness and comfort, click the video and listen to my spoken word song, “G.R.I.E.F.” that is featured on my debut album, Thriving Mindfully As Theresa’s Daughter.