EARLY MESSAGES

You are the oldest, not just in this family, but the oldest grandchild on both sides — the back wheels go where the front wheels go, so you have to be careful where you pull the rear wheels — be an example to your sister and all of your cousins.

You are so mature — you grew up too fast and started acting like a grown-up when you were barely two.

You love your aunts more than me — you lived longer with your aunts in the first two years of your life than you did with me. I don’t like that you love them so much and you are so close to them.

There is a hole in your pocket — money slips through the hole.

Money burns a hole in your pocket.

Your schoolwork is above and beyond all else.

You are now seven years old. That means if you sin, it will count.

An angel is sitting on each of your shoulders. The right-shoulder angel keeps track of your good deeds, and the one on your left shoulder keeps track of your sins.

Heaven is under the feet of mothers. Mind your mother.

Don’t be afraid of men.

Be terrified of men.

Don’t allow a man hit you.

Trust me.

Don’t trust them.

There is a fire out there. Don’t get burned.

Never be afraid to knock on any doors.

Even if you are the President, you will be a wife and a mother in the end. You must know how to keep a house and care for a child.

You can move mountains if you want to.

Don’t be afraid of your ambitions.

Girls don’t get to do everything boys do.

You don’t have a brother to keep you safe after I am gone, so you must keep yourself safe.

None of these messages were true or false. Every single one of these messages was true and false at some point in time.

Nukhet H.

First published on Lemon Tree — A Place For Our Stories by Nukhet Hendricks