Wednesday, March 16, 2016

I Knew, Lord Knows I Knew!



    My God What A View ;




This is where I cried…I did not wail or moan but softly shed tears because I knew.



I knew that one of my ancestors was taken off a boat.

I knew because I felt it deep down in my gut before reaching that place.

I had not even set down on that spot yet but somehow I knew. 

When my feet touched the base of the hill. I knew.

My aunt Carmena Taylor Morton told me years ago as a child that her great-grandfather and my 4th great-grandfather Charles Dixon was as she said “from over there across the water” meaning West Indies.

     We come this far by faith

We had passed several forts and places where the tour guide talked of the slaves who were bought there eons ago.

When he mentioned Nigerians I was sorrowfully silent.

My Ethnic Make-up tells me Nigerian among other things my mama and father blended me with.

                      Ancestrydna

That wonderful and magnificent ancestral blend they were also blessed to have.

I always want to be sure that I know what I think I know so I tested again. 

Ethnicity, dominantly African

                     23&me 

Strands and beads of Irish and of others who may have bought my ancestors to this place I call  “I Knew.”
                          23&me 

And Again…..I know, I know, I just love this stuff.

                  Familytree dna
                     

I am also a March baby, a Pisces.



My feet touched down on the Island on the 9th day.

Pisces symbolizes fish that swim in different directions.


Up and down under the chill of the white caps;


Up and down over the warmth of the crashing waves;


           Oh Guide Me Over

Looming under a dark cloud of despair.


        Chained bound, salty tears

How many of my ancestors were caught in that watery grave trying to go back from whence they came? 


The tour guide told us that Fort Castillo San Felipe del Morro is one of the backdrops used in the 1990 movie Amistad .


This was where the slaves were bought to port and held for market.

         Oh Lord Hear My Cry

The fort was in fact used to guard San Juan from sea bearing enemies in the early 1500’s.


So majestic that it takes your breath from deep within and you slowly exhale.

      He that dwell in the secret place 


I did not make the trek to the top of the hill. 

My reasoning then was the aches and pains I already had and the long walk up.

As I type my thoughts, I came to realize that it was not for me to make the trip up the hill, nor take the trip back down.

He that sustains me already knew

He Knew that If He wanted me to go, He would have shown me the way.

He Knew  

12 comments:

VKN said...

Inspiringly reassuring confirming

Cecelia Cook said...

I LOVE this!

Ms Vicky said...

Thanks so much for the comments

Linda Morris said...

Thanks for taking us with you and for the deep revelation of our past. I felt myself living the first landing. Wow!

Cousin Pinky said...

I love it! I felt the same way when I visited what was once Coushatta Plantation in Louisiana. You just know.

J said...

Thanks so much for sharing this part of your journey with us. It's an inspiring and heartfelt post...I know the ancestors were with you every step of the way.

Unknown said...

Thanks Vicky - being so far away it is too easy to forget. The impact up close must be powerful indeed! Thanks for keeping us all - "up close"

Kristin said...

I felt similar when I visited Fort Moultre in SC. And I kept taking those dna tests too!

Van said...

I felt the same when I went to Richmond, VA and went down to the wharf were the cages, shackle holders, and slave blocks are still there as historic reminders. My heart was torn. Lord, I knew.

Ms Vicky said...

Thanks everyone for the comments. I still so far have not gotten image out of my mind.

Pam Singleton said...

Vicky, As I read this, I took this journey in my mind, feeling what you may have felt and I feel our ancestors have a way of letting us know things by making us feel what they felt and after it is said and done and their spirit are no longer restless, they tell us, "I home...now I can rest..!

Ms Vicky said...

Thanks for reading blog and commenting Pam. I would also agree with you about "our" ancestors. That is why we should always call their names. For those whose names are unknown we will try and try until we know their names.