This world, and Nacho Cheese Popcorn…

My party of five entered the movie theatre with great anticipation. We don’t always go to the movies. And when we do, it’s rare that it’s a movie we all want to see.

As I tried to get comfortable in my seat (which always grosses me out because I think all the worst things happen in movie theatre seats–like, it makes my skin crawl when I think too deeply about it, but anyway…), I thought of my mother. She would be so amused that she comes to mind every day.

I remember when my daughter was young, probably around six-years old, and my mother took her and my sons (then four and two), to the movies. My momma gave my daughter, Moon, a large leather purse. Atleast half the size of Moon’s entire body.

“This is your purse today. You get to carry the movie snacks.”

That’s right, ladies and gents, my momma allowed my daughter to smuggle in all the homemade movie theatre food. Can you imagine my little, bitty daughter with a big-ass, grown-woman sized purse on her shoulder?

These are my people. I claim them. I do.

 

This year, the week before my family’s movie theatre excursion, we vacationed in Savannah, Georgia.

My daughter has officially stolen all of my facial expressions when her brothers annoy her. You see that face? Love them!

And I love Savannah…and day dream about my Act Two there. We typically disconnect from most news and social media, but sometimes things happen.

I don’t think we were settled in good before we heard about the Alton Sterling shooting.

I mistakenly watched the video.

My heart took a seat.

Not long after, I saw postings of the death of Philando Castile.

I did not watch his video.

And still, my heart walked to a corner, turned its back on the world, and sat down.

How did my mother raise three black sons and a black daughter (who was probably the wild card, real talk, out of the four of us), without wanting to turn her heart on the world?

My sister friend, R, and I sent text messages about what was happening. She is raising her two black children in New Orleans.

Everyday on vacation I thought about those shootings…and still do. I thought about what my mother felt as we lived for a short time in South Central L.A., and my best friend’s brother (who was the same age as my oldest brother) was killed one summer. They lived across the street.

I never thought about my safety nor my brothers’ safety deeply. Not deeply. We were kids.

But my mother…

I recalled my high school boyfriend being pulled over by police on many of our dates. As an adult, I now know that my brothers had their fair share of the same incidents.

And my mother prayed. And lit her candles with our names underneath. And worked her magic.

And lived.

See, as a mother, it is so easy to stop breathing when these things happen in the world. I did…for one brief moment. And then I allowed the anger to visit. And stay a while. And have its say.

But I have to keep living. I have to keep working for better…not allowing the reality to dictate the future…because I can make things better, right?

As a mother I have to stay optimistic. I have these faces I see everyday.

So when we came back from our vacation…and settled into the work of life and the world…we took the kids to the movies…because we won’t stop living. And we laughed and turned our hearts around. And side note: Hugh Jackman’s body is the shizznizz (we saw X-Men Apocalypse…and, yes, it’s been out, and we are just getting to it. Go judge somebody else’s family, will you?)

And I came home and lit a white candle with my babies names underneath.

It worked for my momma.

Nacho Cheese Popcorn

• 4 cups of pop corn (I popped 1/2 cup of corn kernels in 1-2 TBSP of coconut oil…You can use air-popped or even microwaved…I won’t judge you…to your face).

Nacho Cheese Powder

• 5 TBSP nutritional yeast powder or flakes
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

Directions:

1. Combine all these spices together and set aside.
2. Drizzle on a little bit of coconut oil on our popcorn, then sprinkle on 3-4 TBSP of your nacho cheese powder.
3. Live.

Until next time…Reine.