Time for some lessons from Harriet Tubman
Wooh, there is a lot to do and a whole lot to keep up with and I am finding myself more and more tired these days. But I know that what I bring to the world needs to keep coming, which means I must keep giving. I am finally taking better care of myself, YAY! Some of you have checked out my pushups on IG and my form is on point. HOWEVER, The World, The World, The World… Sigh!
We cannot shut it out. We must pay attention and serve. When I get to the place where I feel like I am depleted, I start to think about Harriet, given name Araminta “Minty” Ross, historic names – Harriet Tubman, the Black Moses, Conductor of The Underground Railroad.
She was forced to be a nanny at age 6, was hit with a brick and suffered a traumatic head injury as a young girl, the effects of which lasted her entire life and caused her to have seizures and blackouts regularly. She was “rented out” to work outdoors, plowing fields, driving oxen, hauling logs, and doing forest work.
She escaped slavery traveling at night, through forests, bodies of water, eluding capture and certain death.
She used everything that was meant to harm, degrade, demoralize, and work her to death against those who only meant her harm.
She experienced visions from God during her blackouts and used them to guide her during her 13 successful trips of freeing her family, friends, and her people from the atrocities inflicted on them in that brutal system. Over the course of ten years, she used her knowledge of the outdoors, her physical strength and her experience quieting and calming children to help plan her secret escapes and follow the Underground Railroad repeatedly to bring her people to freedom.
During the Civil War, she worked as a nurse, a cook, and an armed spy helping to liberate 700 more enslaved people. She was active in the suffragette movement and extended her fight to include the rights of the elderly, those with disabilities and Black women.
She lived until her 90’s and was active until her death.
You can’t tell me that after each act of heroism, Harriet wasn’t tired.
You can’t tell me that after each traumatic and brutal act committed against her, she wasn’t tired.
You can’t tell me that after each horror perpetrated on her loved ones that she witnessed, she wasn’t tired.
You can’t tell me that after each disappointment she suffered, she wasn’t tired.
You can’t tell me after each seizure and blackout and treacherous, stressful journey, she wasn’t tired.
You can’t tell me after witnessing the worst in humanity, she wasn’t tired.
Hell, yeah, she was tired, but she did it anyway. She never gave up.
Now, I’m certain that Harriet didn’t think about self-care and taking down time, but I bet if she could speak to me today, she would tell me to make sure that I do that regularly.
So, YES I’m tired and although I am no Harriet Tubman, I’ve decided to get Harriet Tubman tired and do what I am here to do!
I owe her. We all do!
So what about you? You ready to be Harriet Tubman tired?
If so, Let’s Go!!!!!!
And for all those who were told differently, Black History Month was not and never will be canceled. Thank you Harriet and all the ancestors whose victories we stand on and benefit from. You will never be forgotten.
In Love,
Dr. Lynne
