I’m settling back into daily life now after a joyous ride on cloud nine

What a grand ride I am having this month. I had just finished celebrating my 85th birthday, when a few days later, I was invited by The Miami Herald to do a “fireside chat” at the North Dade Regional Library with my dear friend Jeff Kleinman as the moderator.

I’ve heard talk of what it is like being on cloud nine Now I know. The evening was so spectacular that I felt like I was floating. I was overwhelmed by the love and admiration that permeated in the room as I hugged and kissed old friends and new ones, too. I will never forget the evening of Thursday, Feb. 16. And today, nearly two weeks later, I am still flying high!

Well, not quite as high. I had to come down from my cloud. While I have pinched myself, from time to time, to see if what I experienced this month, really is a dream. Then the beautiful bubble burst and I tumble back down to earth like Alice in Wonderland.

The arrow that burst my bubble was the reality of a promise I had made to my great-grandson Jaylen: I had to attend a track meet, where he was one of participants.

The track meet was held on a warm day. And like all the other spectators, I had to pay $5 for my blue paper bracelet, which let those at the gate know that it was okay for me to enter.

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I start to sink through my cloud as I realize that once inside the gate, nobody rolled out the red carpet for this Ms. Miami Herald Icon. Or brought out a cushioned chair for me to sit on. Or served me a cool drink from a frosty crystal glass. Nope. I sat in the bleachers at the track meet with a few other parents. I am slowly coming back to reality. Out here at the track meet, I am just another cheering grandma.

Yet, I enjoyed every minute that I was there. I cheered as Jaylen ran two races, coming in at second place in each race — the 400 meter and the 4x8 meter. Then, when I’d had enough — not of him or the event — but of the hard bleacher I was seated on, I decided it was time to head for home, where I had to prepare dinner.

I chuckled as I drove home. Nothing keeps you as humble, as the everyday tasks that are a part of living. It is hard to keep one’s head in the clouds when there is laundry to fold, beds to make and dinner to cook.

Living from day to day has a way of putting things in the right perspective. I am glad it does. Yet, while I bask in the glow of the outpouring of love and respect shown to me at this time in my life, I have never felt more humble. But I must say, I am happy that I got to ride on Cloud Nine, even for a little while.

And I am glad, too, that I am able to step down from the cloud with dignity and with the knowledge that I didn’t get here all by myself. I had a lot of help along the way. I am here today because of the great men and women — Black and White — who mentored me and told me never to give up, that a change was coming. And to be ready. They were right.

So, while I am now back down to earth, my head is still just a little bit in the clouds. I guess that’s okay, though. Because thinking of the beauty of this month and all that it has brought to me, I’m going to be walking around on my own personal cloud for a long time.

So, thank you everyone, for showing up and for showing me so much love. Thank you for sharing your stories with me and for holding me accountable.

Gotta go for now. I think the clothes dryer has stopped.

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15 Northwestern High grads inducted into Hall of Fame

In a gala setting on Feb. 4 in Miami Northwestern High School’s Veronica Swindell Westly Theater of Performing Arts, 15 graduates of the school were inducted into its Hall of Fame. One of them was my friend Cecilia Stewart, who was honored for her outstanding community service.

A 1975 graduate if Miami Northwestern High School where she was elected Miss Northwestern in her senior year. She later graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a master’s degree in Mycology, the study of fungi. She recently retired from the Miami Public Library system in December of 2022.

Stewart has been an avid community organizer, serving in Overtown as a leader and spokesperson. She is active in community relations with the City of Miami Police Department and his a member and past chairwoman of the Miami-Dade County Historic Preservation Board and the Historic Hampton House Community Trust, Inc. She also created and produced the 2021 Historic Overtown calendar.

“Nothing beats getting recognized by my peers and community. This is a great honor“, she said.

The other inductees for service are, Earl Gloster, Venesia Johnson, Robin Mims, Dr. Johnny Scott, Judge Rodney Smith, James Spann Jr., and Rosylen Sutton-Cox.

The inductees for Athletes are, Theodore “Teddy” Bridgewater, Lavonte David, Danette Hardemon, Milton Jenkins, Marvin “Snoop” Minnis, Sean Spence and Latoya Williams.

Bea L. Hines can be reached at bea.hines@gmail.com