Blackberry Memories: The Unforgettable Story of a Little Girl’s Foundation, Faith and Favor That Led Her to a Life of Joy From a World of Poverty

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Margarett Wilson, received Masters of Public Health from Emory University and a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Minnesota. She is the inventor of a patented product, the Snazzy Napper; business manager of Bobby V Touring; and co-founder of Metro Atlanta Urban Farm.
BLACKBERRY MEMORIES\nThis book’s title is the culmination of years of writing about a little girl born into poverty and surviving the hot summertime in the Mississippi Delta. It is about living through the winters of desperation and despair and coming out of it unscathed to be a strong, resilient woman of the times. It is a story of faith and hope. It is the story of trials and tribulations. It is a story of coming of age at a time when women, and Black people in particular, were just beginning to make strides in attaining recognition for their rightful place in American society. This is about the people who gave me a basic understanding of life by demonstrating kindness, courage and confidence, giving to others without expecting anything in return. It is about struggle, family and being surrounded by people who love you. It is about faith, foundation and favor.\nThe survival skills I have employed in the years that God has blessed me to be on this earth began one cold, bleak winter, back in 1956 (one of my earliest recollections of being poor). There is no way to fully describe to someone what it feels like to be cold but to actually be cold. There is no way to describe how it feels to be thirsty and without water to drink but to be out in the mercilessly hot Delta sun and not have water to drink. No one understands what it is like not to have shelter over your head, unless you have experienced the agony of coming home to find your house burned to the ground and now, you have nowhere to live.
For years, I was unable to write this manuscript. Each time I attempted to do so, my heart-breaking emotions were so intense that I found myself incapable of continuing without shedding painful tears, forcing me to stop for a time. Perhaps the tears were for my ancestors or for my parents or grandparents whom I love dearly. Or perhaps they were for myself having undergone such a metamorphosis of soul, of spirit, of my every being. I recognize that we cannot really enjoy the present or future fully unless we reflect and know unabashedly where we have been and/or for remembering those souls who have helped and influenced us along the way.\nIt is not unusual for me to run into persons who think that because I have attained a certain level of success in my life, I have always had all the tools and requirements needed to excel. They seem surprised when I tell them it is only through constant prayer and a great deal of challenges that I have survived overwhelming obstacles in climbing the “mountains of life.”\nWhy the title, BLACKBERRY MEMORIES? Somehow or another, it stands out that time in my life when my family survived by eating frozen blackberries for breakfast, lunch and dinner for an entire week. I can remember those blackberries were delicious! Especially when we considered the alternative - extreme hunger. With this in mind, I want to share my experiences with others as they climb their “mountains of life,” as they fight lack, racism, bias and hunger. It is my hope that BLACKBERRY MEMORIES will help my readers in their personal and professional struggles and challenges. Good luck and may God bless you.