#BlackFriday #BlackMastodon #BlackTwitter #BlackFathers
@BigAngBlack threw out a prompt for great fathers. I don't know if my father was "great," not sure what that would mean but he was a good father. He did his best during a time when all Black men were catching hell daily but particularly Black men who had his darker complexion. He got up every day, went to work and helped my mom build a strong family.
@fulanigirl
same with my dad
We don't have a lot to talk about but he always calls to check and make sure im okay
@BigAngBlack The genealogist at the Library of Congress is helping me with some research. She told me we have to start celebrating ordinary people who don't get to be famous, don't have statues or plaques because its their stories of daily survival that are important. That resonated with me and your prompt made me think about how right she was.
@fulanigirl
That's how we build a strong community, give everyone enough encouragement for just being there that they always want to
@BigAngBlack You know the other thing is sometimes we judge our parents based on what is normal today. My parents were depression era babies. Their parents were hustling to survive and keep them alive. They didn't hear them say "I love you" 5,000 x a day. They showed love how they knew. They kept you alive, fed and with a roof over your head. They DID love they just didn't talk about it. Sometimes the whining today about what parents didn't do makes me ill...
@fulanigirl
i understand both sides. it's tough, social norms changed a lot so you gotta make room for mistakes and shortcomings, can't be mad, they did what they thought was best. But it's also frustrating to learn so much i feel like i should've been taught, things that got left out. ultimately though, i know my folks care about me and they've grown throughout the years too so i'm grateful