A Tribute to My Mother

By Juanita Bratcher 

I never thought about life without my mother. And when she died almost 15 years ago, it was by far the “darkest day” of my life…my guardian angel was no longer here with me and my three siblings.

My mother, Tommie Sean Forte, the beloved wife of George W. Forte, and the nurturing mother of four adult children – Eula, Bertha, Juanita and Tommy, was our “guardian angel”, a protective mom who always kept a watchful eye on her children.

I grew up in a home where Christianity was second to none, and voting, among other things, was looked upon as a top priority. My mother was a faithful and devoted Christian. She believed in the power of prayer; and she also believed in the power of the ballot. There was no question as to where her loyalty was in regards to her religious beliefs. And there was no question as to where she stood on the issue of voting.

Mom was a devoted Christian, a loving wife and mother, a stickler for fairness, and a hard-worker, not only on the job but also at home. She had a spotless house, always tended her garden during the summer, and a smart shopper in every respect. She had a big heart, a heart of gold, and always reached out to those who were less fortunate.

Among other things, mom taught her offspring to love and respect each other and to love and respect their fellowman. Being the woman that she was made me the woman that I am. She had a voice that demanded attention. She was exciting, a go-getter, a fighter for fairness and justice.

One of the things I treasured most about her was her sense of fairness to others. And she tried to instill that same sense of farness in her children. I have so many indelible memories and thoughts of my mother. Those are the things that carry me through the day, because there’s not a day that goes by when I don’t think about my mother. Her pictures covet the walls in various places in my home. They are constant reminders of her positive lectures to her children, her words, many of which still hold a special place in my heart, my mind, and are strongly motivational to me.

My mom died on November 24, 1995. It was by far the saddest and darkest day of my life. When I got the news, I cried non-stop for three hours. Not only did I lose a mother, I lost my best friend and biggest cheerleader. She was not a mother who sat on the sidelines and watched her children grow up from a distance. She was actively involved with her children every step of the way – their careers, their successes; the good times and the bad times. She was inspirational and motivational.

She was a role model, a “real” mother in every sense of the word. She was a mother who made innumerable sacrifices for her children, her family, for others. She was always there, nurturing them, sustaining them with love and respect. She never turned loose the reins; they were always on her mind and they were always in her heart and prayers.

We (family) marveled at her knowledge, her spiritual and worldly insight, her firm belief in God and her remarkable sense of humor. She had an excellent way of evaluating and analyzing things. But aside from her serious no-nonsense mannerisms, she was involved in church and community. She was never out of touch with the world we live in. She kept up with the Stock Market, and believed in the power of the ballot. She was actively involved in the electoral process.

My mother was excitedly comfortable and energetic in her belief that voting was an essential tool to bring about change through the electoral process. She was adamant in her belief that voting gives people a choice to weed-out the good candidates from the bad. And when her children reached voting age and become registered voters, on any given Election Day, she would ask, “Did you vote today?”

Over the years, at one time or another, I have sympathized and empathized with friends over the loss of a parent. But I now know that one cannot grasp to the fullest extent the hurt that comes along with the loss of a parent, or a family member or a friend for that matter, until it knocks at their door.

A few weeks after my mother’s funeral, I was asked, “When does the healing process begin? When does it end?” For many, that can be an unanswerable question. A lot of the healing process depends on the individual’s state of mind and other circumstances. As for me, I wonder will it ever end. For I know within my heart, mind and soul, that it will never end completely. When I think of her, I’m overwhelmed with sadness, tears, even almost 15 years later. But I have faith in God that He will soothe my hurt and take away the pain and tears.

Yet, when I was grieving over my mother’s death, that strong inner voice took over my thought processes and reminded me that “The Lord was good to your mother, and the Lord has been good to you.” And indeed He has. Praise the Lord! The suffering I’ve encountered in life has been minor compared to the happiness God has given to me and my mother.

In the aftermath of my mother’s death, I wrote my feelings and thoughts on paper, much of it in the form of poems. The pain and hurt that I encountered was taking a toll on my mind, body, soul and spirit. But I was well aware that there was nothing I could do to change the situation and bring my mother back to life, otherwise, it would have been done, pronto. If only I could turn back time. Which I knew was impossible. The days that followed have been some of the darkest days of my life.

It’s so easy to embrace or accept the good things and good times in life, they usually generate tremendous joy. But it’s a story of the other kind when faced with the unpleasant obstacles of life, those happenings and events that bring tremendous stress and untold sadness.

There’s no question, as human beings, sometimes we do not fully understand how to cope with sad, emotional and stressful moments…that’s human nature. But the pain is certainly eased when one is locked in fellowship with God – where one can always find peace and solace. Not just in times of crisis, but at all times.

I only wish everyone could have a mother like my mother was to me and my siblings. If so, the world would be a far better place in which to live. Some of my feelings about my mother are in the following poems that I put together after her death.

Poems of Love; In Memory of Mom  

 It Was the Darkest Day of My Life 

We shared life’s frailties

The good and bad

We faced challenges together

Some happy, some sad

You were my hero, my guiding light

And now that you’ve left me

Nothing seems right

This heart of mine will never mend

I’ve truly lost my very Best Friend

Mother of mine, you meant so much

I’ll surely miss your tender touch

                - Juanita Bratcher

The Seeds of Life

I could see her smiling

As she planted good seeds

She was God-fearing, loving and brave

A happy woman indeed

Her face was so radiant

Her heart was true blue

She was always supportive

In whatever she could do

She was truthful in her undertakings

Victorious in what she set out to do

She never looked back for accolades

She moved on to help someone new

Oh, Sweet Mother

A sweet mother she was

A devoted wife too

And now she has left us

And we face challenges anew

When I look to the heavens

I can see her face

Her smile is ever so radiant

It didn’t take long for her to take her place

And even though she had

A most fulfilling life

It hurts to think of life without her

It’s like the sting of a sharpened knife

I ask myself each day

Why did she go so soon?

I sit and cherish her sweet memories

While I stare at the heavenly moon

I can see her in the heavens

Talking to all her kin

While I sit here lonely on earth

Feeling the hurt from loosing a mother, a friend

She was my shining hero

She meant so much to me

But then she left so suddenly

And I’m not the woman I used to be

My Shining Star Is Gone

That shining star

That lit up my life

That shining star

The one that shined so bright

Is gone forever

And memories are all I have 

And now reality has set in

I’ve truly lost a very dear friend

One that was always on my side

So strong and full of pride

One to whom I depended on

And one I could always confide

So where do I go for solace?

Who will soothe my broken heart?

The void can never be filled

My mother’s love was real

Those Chilling, Quiet Moments

I looked in my eyes

They looked so sad

I looked at my face

It never looked so bad

I searched out my thoughts

But none would come

I cried and cried

And asked myself, how come?

I think about mom

All those memories she left

She was the perfect mother

She knew that herself

- Juanita Bratcher 

About My Mother

My mother was a devout Christian in every sense of the word. She was truly blessed. And her blessings, she always acknowledged, came from God.

She was a loving wife in every sense of the word. She was a true mother in every sense of the word. Her labor of love for me and my siblings was unquestionable. She nurtured and prepared us for the good and bad of the world. She loved everyone. That was the Christian way, she always said. She never said anything bad or malicious about anyone, and she carried herself in such a manner that others knew not to talk bad or maliciously about anyone in her presence.

As best she could, she carried the word of God to thousands of people, through her missionary work. She was the Mother of her church, a member of the Eastern Star, and served on several church boards and committees, during her more than fifty years as a member. Through her sharing and caring, she reaped tremendous blessings from God, through spiritual obedience.

I wish everyone could have a mother like my mother was to me and my three siblings. Aside from that, she was a surrogate mother to many other children. And though she’s gone, and we deeply miss her, we are fortunate to have so many rich and pleasant memories of her. Those memories will live on forever in our hearts, minds and souls. We loved her dearly. My mother was my hero (our hero). And she will forever be our eternal hero.   

                                                            -  Juanita Bratcher

Happy Mother’s Day! To Mothers Everywhere

Copyright 1994, by Juanita Bratcher

This poem was created and dedicated to my mother, Tommie Sean Forte, in 1994, and appeared in my book, “I Cry for a People: In Their Struggle for Justice & Equality.”

The extent of a mother’s love 

Can never be measured by pound 

It is unconditional love 

Like steel and so profound

She’s protective of her children

To the point of denying herself

She is a woman of distinction

In a class all by herself

She is a mystery woman to some

And a passing stranger to others

But to me and all my siblings

She is our own beloving mother 

Her strengths are so unlimited

Her convictions as bold as the night

She is a principled person with fortitude

Armed with courage, grace and foresight

She is a God-fearing woman

Who makes mountains of sacrifices too

She’s there when no one else is

Nurturing her children to see them through

She’s inspiring and uplifting

And her morals always forthright

She keeps the family together

Even when things don’t seem so right

She fights many a battle for her family

Sometimes painful and overbearing

But she handles them with eloquence

Trusting, devotion and insurmountable caring

Her healing powers are oh, so gentle

She can soothe away your tears and fears

There’re no limitations for mothers

They hold the key to their children’s cheers

She places them in protective custody

Helps them push their future dreams

She knows how to make them feel “real special”

And motivates them, it always seems

She’s spiritual, uplifting, and diplomatic too

She’s endurable like iron, co-leader of the crew

She’s positive and honest, forgiving of you

She gives moral support from a mother’s view

She’s exhausted, steering her children from obstacles in life

Making sure that they don’t perish

In a world filled with strife

She’s ready to catch them, hold them up when they fall

She feels her powerful love can conquer all

She’s a teacher, psychiatrist, anything you want her to be

She can motivate, encourage, redirect you to see

She’s prepared to take on the rough road ahead

She’s a companion and caretaker, when all’s done and said

There’re fond memories of moms

And the many moments shared

Her children know who they are

Simply because “mommy” cared

By Curtis Cost

Black AIDS organizations, as well as some Black Clergy, Black politicians and Black sports figures have been encouraging African Americans to take HIV tests and to take HIV/AIDS drugs. In making these recommendations it is clear that these individuals and groups have failed to research the debate over the validity of the HIV tests and whether HIV is really the cause of AIDS.

On the other hand, doctors, scientists and researchers for years have been challenging the HIV/AIDS hypothesis. Few in the Black community have heard their objections. The following is a brief summary of the controversy:

1. None of the manufacturers of the HIV tests guarantee the accuracy of their tests. In fact, they warn that their tests should not be used alone to determine if someone is HIV positive or negative. If the manufacturers of the HIV tests don’t have confidence in their own product then why should Black People?

2. There are about 70 different things that can trigger a false positive result on HIV tests. These include vaccines such as for flu, hepatitis B and others. YES, if you recently had a vaccine, it can cause you to test positive on an HIV test! Even pregnancy can trigger a false positive response on an HIV test.

3. Test results vary over time. That is, you can test positive one day and go back to the same hospital or clinic a year later and test negative!

4. Test results vary between hospitals. You can go to two different hospitals on the same day and take an HIV test and get two different test results!

5. Test results vary between countries. There is no international standard on how to even interpret the results on an HIV test. This means that you could test positive in America, but in Australia your same test result could be considered negative!

6. Test results vary depending on which test kit is used. This means that an ELISA test could indicate that you are positive, but a Western Blot test or PCR test could indicate that you are negative.

7. The HIV tests do not look for HIV in your body. The tests just look for chemical reactions which have never been proven to have anything to do with HIV. This is why doctors will say that you are HIV positive, but they will not state in writing that you have an active infection of HIV. There is a big difference between being HIV positive and actually having HIV!

8. The personal information you give at a testing facility will have a big impact on how they interpret the test results. That is, if you say that you are a homosexual or an intravenous drug user, this will drastically increase the chances that they will claim that you have HIV.

9. If you are told you are HIV positive this will have a devastating emotional impact on you and your family. Even worse, if you start taking drugs like AZT, DDI and protease inhibitors you will be poisoning yourself and most likely die a slow horrible death. AZT for example was originally a chemotherapy treatment, but in 1964 it was deemed too deadly and its use was discontinued. It destroys the bone marrow which is where a person’s blood cells are formed! Therefore, people who supposedly have an immune system problem are being given a drug which destroys their immune system!

10. No HIV virus has ever been isolated. The early claims of isolation have been proven false and turned out to be nothing more than cellular debris! Even the person who supposedly discovered HIV, French scientist and Nobel Prize winner, Luc Montagnier, has publicly admitted that he never obtained a purified sample of HIV. This means that all of the HIV tests are worthless because there is no purified sample of HIV which can be used to measure the accuracy of those tests. It also means that all of the HIV/AIDS drugs are worthless because they are based on a virus that nobody has ever isolated. This is why scores of prominent doctors and scientists have been denouncing the HIV/AIDS hypothesis as a hoax!

We in the African American Community must wake-up and start thinking for ourselves! We must take a serious look at the debate over HIV/AIDS and start asking serious questions. We can not afford to passively rely on the recommendations of others. Those who are in a leadership position in the Black Community need to do critical research before continuing to make recommendations which are taking our people down the wrong path.

Distributed by BlackNews.com

Curtis Cost is the author of the new book: “Vaccines Are Dangerous – A Warning to the Global Community 2nd Edition” which discusses the HIV/AIDS debate. His book is available at: www.vaccinesaredangerous.com, Amazon.com, and other book outlets. Mr. Cost has been featured in Ebony Magazine, The New York Times, The Village Voice and Tony Brown’s Journal among others. Video clips of his lectures can be seen on YouTube.