While walking down the hallway with my kindergarteners yesterday, a little girls grabbed my hand, looked up at me, and said, “Mrs. Tumlins, teach me to be just like you.” I laughed to myself and thought, Why would you want to be like me? Then I thought, who am I really? What makes me, me?
I came to the conclusion that I am a bunch of hand-me-down genes. They say I look like my great-grandmother on my mother’s side. I have her olive complexion and dark hair. But others say I look like my Aunt Hattie on my daddy’s side. I know I have my mama’s pointy nose and small stature. The dimple on my daddy’s chin also graces my face.
Personality wise, I have my daddy’s easy-going temperament. My mother’s feisty disposition is buried deep inside me and rarely gets to rear its head. I am not sure where my quiet side came from, but I think I was given a double dose.
My granddaddy was a school teacher and loved children. I follow in his footsteps. My grandmother loved to read and write, as do I. She was always humming a tune in the kitchen, and there is always a song in my head.
Humor? Well I believe that comes from almost every single member of the family, as does the love of food. I have a plethora of good cooks in my extended family. My compassion for animals may come from my Uncle Lynn. Being kind to all people, maybe Aunt Marlene. The desire to do for others, Aunt Kathy. And well, Aunt Carol, I too enjoy acting like a fool when I am with those I love
Influence
Over the years, my genes were influenced by my families’ behaviors.There are some things about me I was not born with, but have learned from my family over the years. Kathryn, Karla’s mom, influenced me to always look my best. I never saw her looking slouchy. Even when she was ready for bed, she was dressed to a T, in her satin pajamas. I have surprised people with my knowledge about car parts, thanks to countless hours watching and listening to my daddy. And I know a lot about clothes, from the material to the stitching. I think my mom could have sewn the Emperor’s New Clothes.
However, my family members failed to pass down musical talent to me. I missed that gene. I sit at family reunions and listen to the banjo, guitar, harmonica, spoons, piano, and other instruments wishing I could play. But what they didn’t fail me at was planting the seeds of faith in my heart. Generation after generation passed down their faith in God.
To my little student I could say, “to teach you to be like me would be impossible. I am one of kind. God made me and surrounded me by people to mold me into who I am today. How lucky I am.”
And thank goodness, they handed down their genes and not that bonnet!!
Our family is so awesome. to care for one another. One night, Donna and I were taking the trash to the dumpster. We detoured to swing a while on the kid’s swing set. An aunt met us at the door when we got back. “Y’all been gone for a long time. I was not going to bed until you got back!”
To make the gathering more about family and less about money, we began drawing names to help with the cost. I loved the anticipation of finding out whose name I would draw. Time marched on, and the eight of us brought numerous friends into Nana’s house over the years. While money was tight at times, no one ever left Nana’s without receiving some small present to make them feel included.