Terry Lynn Moore
A Personal Kwanzaa Story
December 26–January 1, my family observes Kwanzaa, a celebration of African heritage, unity and culture. Since DNA scientifically confirms we all share the same genetic roots, please join your cousins in honoring the universal principles of unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.
I am the daughter of Melvin Moore, who was born a few months after Martin Luther King in 1929. My paternal grandfather, Ezekiel Moore, was a Minister who founded a church in Cleveland, Ohio. I never knew his father, a follower of Marcus Garvey, because he was lynched in Mississippi, causing the rest of the family to flee to safety in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Melvin was not only a child of The Great Depression but he also lost his mother at an early age. I can hardly imagine how challenging life was for Ezekiel, grief stricken and trying to provide for his children. Melvin and his brother Charles were passed around, lovingly cared for by Aunties until their stepmother came into their lives years later.
Every family has stories of hard times and good times and obstacles overcome. Sadly for some of us, our stories were not seen, heard and valued for arbitrary reasons. Sometimes the lessons were lost too. Therein lies the tragedy because these are fundamental human stories.
We look back to move forward, reverent of all information.
I believe we, the global spiritual community, are charged with setting the tone for righteous interactions on Earth. Recognition of our true nature affords us a means to connect more deeply and frees us to be more authentically inclusive, soul to soul, regardless of superficial differences.
As our world transitions to a new way of being, as we inch back to traveling and such, may we seize more opportunities for adventure and discovery. Celebrate a new holiday, preferably with some folks that don’t look like you. Try on a new way of seeing…through the veil to the spirit.
When we share our family stories, we can’t help but inspire a fierce perseverance and cohesion, the kind that builds strong individuals, churches, communities. We must respect each other because we must rely on each other. But first we must know each other. After our tears from this year have been shed we must count our blessings and declare we made it. Thank God.
While living in Hawaii from 2000-2016, Terry Lynn Moore attended Keawalai Congregational Church on Maui and spent much of her later years on the Island of O’ahu, service as a Hawaii Elections Commissioner. She current resides in Los Angeles.
