"Message to Mama Stout"

A woman is God's gift to man. She's strong, powerful, and full of life. A woan knows when to let loose and be wild, but she also knows when to have her guard up and be the support system for those she cares about. A woman is prepared for an and all things; but what happens when something slips under her radar? Something that is deadly and life threatening that can remove her from her duties. She does not like to be away from those that need her for more than a few seconds. It is almost like being trapped inside of a transparent cell and seeing her babies struggle, and knowing she can't help until she has the strength to break down the walls.

Since the beginning of time women have been seen as weak and one to follow orders, but that was just a front that they put up to hide their true selves. Only if you knew what they were thinking. Oh, the mind of a woman. The things she comes up with. Gears constantly turning in her brain whether awake or sleeping. when she dreams she schemes. Her thoughts are never ceased until the moment she takes her last breath, and even then it only falters for a moment. When in spirit she still makes it her job to watch over and protect.

She fights any and everything that may cause harm to her or her loved ones. She is a fierce machine that will never give up the battle until she is victorious. So again I ask: what happens when something slips under her radar and causes her to half halt her journey?

Well for one thing she gets pissed. She wonders what type of person or thing would have the balls to try and stop her. She doesn't believe anything would even dare to stand in the way of what she has to do. So you better believe that a little thing such as cancer will send her into a rage that would scare the hell out of the devil. She'll fight fire with fire until it is defeated. Chemo is just like a mother threatening to "tap dat butt" when her child is throwing a temper tantrum. The hair loss is just reason to try something new and come back badder than ever. Being gone is just the vacation that has been needed for a long time and being tired, well hell who isn't these days?

There's never been a day where you are never there for the people that need you and there will never be a day where there is no one there to:

*hold you when you want to cry

*listen when you want to talk

*duck when you feel like throwing something, and

*when you're screaming at the top of your lungs, stand in front of the door and say, "Dawg don't go in there, this lady is crazy!"

You always have our backs and now here' sour chance to have yours.

A woman with breast cancer will take that lump, look it dead in its ugly little face and say, "You ain't gon' be here for long, cause I'll fight you with every ounce of my strength, and I will kick your ass!"

-Chonte Woods


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This was written for me by one of our trumpet players, Chonte. No words can say how wonderful this gift is. Thank you Chonte. I will treasure it always.