My Mother An Amazing Woman
An Amazing Woman: My Mother!
Mom Today !
Background
As most of the hub readers know, I am in the process of preparing a manuscript outlining how my mother’s family not only survived the great depression, but thrived. They joined the “Oakie” Migration. The term "Okie" is any poverty-stricken migrant from the Southwest (Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas). My mother’s family migrated from Wainright, Arkansas.
They did not find a warm reception. Many were met at the California border by people who brandished ax handles. Because they arrived impoverished and because wages were low, many lived in filth and squalor in tents and shanty towns along the irrigation ditches. Consequently, they were despised as "Okies," a term of disdain, even hate, pinned on economically degraded farm laborers no matter what state they were from. Many believed the Oakies were not normal. They were sub-human. They were dumb, lived like animals, and talked funny. Children were told to “stay away from the Oakies.”
“Okie" migrants can probably claim their greatest achievements in the area of culture. The supposedly helpless "Okies" made a positive contribution to the central valleys of California. Politically, the "Okies" imparted "plain-folk Americanism," which combines concern for the little man with a spirit of individualism and a sense of patriotism.
The Oakies contributed an evangelical and emotional version of Protestantism, especially captured in Southern Baptist or Pentecostal strains of religion. In addition, they infused the region with country music. The Oakies climbed up the economic ladder to own a plot of land in the valley. They had made their mark on the society that had treated them with contempt.
My mother’s families were involved in the Pentecostal religion. It was their social fabric. Everything revolved around the church.
My Mother Today
My mother is retired as a millionaire. She does not have to work. A typical week is as follows:
- Monday is Karaoke singing and golfing
- Tuesday is working among her flowers, karaoke and then dancing (two different places)
- Wednesday is driving 80 miles round trip to dance at Morro Bay, California
- Thursday is golf and dancing at Madonna Inn
- Friday is dancing at Madonna’s
- Saturday is working around her house, then dancing at Madonna’s
- Sunday is Karaoke in Santa Maria, California, Karaoke in Arroyo Grande
In addition, she enjoys Alaska, Mexico and the Caribbean Cruises. Most of the time she does not leave the ship. She enjoys the singing and dancing. She is always the life of the party. She truly lives as if she may die tomorrow. It is an example of being successful.
This is a contrast to her "Oakie" migration, see:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Yes-Mom-I-do-Remember
My Mother as Crew Member on 600 Mile Ocean Trip:
http://dallas93444.hubpages.com/hub/cabin-cruiser-ocean-odyssey
