Life Transition to New Life

This past week my childhood neighbor that I knew all of my life made her transition into new life. Germaine (Red) Irby was considerable older than me. Matter of fact, her two sons were older than me. Red was the older sister who was grown and would come home on the weekends. She was a sister, a mother, and a friend.

My most fond memories of her was during the holidays. The Irby's were a large family and everyone would converge on their Mother and Father's home. Mr. and Mrs. Irby would be inundated with their adult children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews and neighborhood children. Mr. and Mrs. Irby were always welcoming and made everyone feel a part.

Red was beautiful, she resonated a model quality and was always very warm. I was the mischievous little boy next door who really always provided the entertainment for discussions for the adults. Honestly, I was always into something, the curious boy I was. "What has Russell Lee been into lately?" Red seemed to always be entertained by my adventures.

This past week I went to Christ hospital to see her. I knew she had been struggling for the past few weeks. I had sensed in her brothers, who are my barbers (Clarence and the brother we use to call Baby--since he has been grown we call him Clyde) that it was serious. Clarence who is one of the older brothers the past few weeks clearly had been struggling as I would ask how he is Red, and he would seem to just be distant. Not wanting to deal with the reality of life transitioning. Clyde had been spending a lot of time off, seeing about her needs.
It was evident when I made it to the hospital that time was of the essence as she was transitioning. In an ICU room alone with Red, I shared a scripture and prayed. I have been doing this with people for the past 25 years, but this time I felt a deeply connected. This was not just another person I was ministering to, this was my friend and neighbor, she knew me before I was born. The reality hit me that it is another chapter in life as I am maturing in this expression.

Further, it struck me this week, how much I love the Irby family. I spent the first 18 years of my life next door to this wonderful family. We watched out for each other, we struggled through challenges together and shared wonderful joys together. Even though, I have been gone from my childhood area longer than I lived there, the memories, the people all have made me who I am today. Moreover, I love being connected to my home town and all of that it was and is. There is a grounding that happens and a comfort that comes. Whenever, I am challenged and threatened by the issues of life, I can always go home and be reminded who I am. Paul Simon shared the lyric, "In my little town, I was never really nothing, I was just my father's son."

Today, we celebrate her, "Home Goin'" as it is called in the African-American church experience. Pray that the family will be ministered to and uplifted. I am praying that the Lord give me a word to share that will bless them. I Please pray for the Irby family.