During the many years that my Grandmother was alive we spoke of many subjects. Because of her interesting views on life I have been able to gain insight on a multitude of topics.
During the many years that my Grandmother was alive we spoke of many subjects. Because of her interesting views on life I have been able to gain insight on a multitude of topics.
Eventhough my Granny is no longer living on the Earth Plane, there isn’t a day that passes that I don’t find her teachings and stories to be quite comforting.
Although, Granny was a very organized person and methodical person. There was a part of her that was extremely spiritual, and it was this characteristic in her personality that made her very “low key” when it came to grand plans.
When in the middle of great family undertakings or planning, Granny would often carry on her duties with “pursed” lips. If I questioned her too much about what she was doing, she would often times, answer me with one of these remarks, “Is not everything good to eat, good to talk about….”
I never really understood what that phrase meant until I became older.
In Jamaica, much of our heritage is surrounded by folklore and old wives’ tales, therefore it is not unusual to find Jamaicans that are very leery about divulging their business dealings prematurely or family events until they have materialized.
Most people in Jamaica usually feel that “bush have ears”. So, if you talk about all your great plans too much, you never know who might be listening. If they don’t wish you well, the best laid plans could fizzle as quickly as they started.”
So, when Granny always told me, “Not everything good to eat, good to talk”.
She was reminding me that, you have to pick and choose carefully, the personal matters you feel comfortable talking to other people about. Because if they are not for you, your business could get “shegg up”.
Granny always knew that even when people are smiling with you and seem to be for you, secretly, they could be plotting against you.
So in matters of great importance Granny always urged, “Mum’s the word!”
For instance, if someone in our family was building a home or renovating. Granny always offered her spiritual advice.
Before the breaking of the ground, a prayer was often said. The land would be sprinkled with Jamaican white rum, to ward off the evil spirits. This usually ensured that no one got hurt while working on the new home.
In life, when people are making great progress such as financial success or career success or even having a loving family, not everyone is happy for that person. It could be their enemies or even their closest acquaintances. This is why Granny always felt it was imperative to protect oneself from the “evil eye” of others.
Once the residence was completed, it would be fumigated with incense, sprinkled with holy water and white rum. Then, within a few weeks, a celebration feast was held, where wild game was prepared on the spot of the construction.
All these activities were said to keep away the evil spirits and stop negative experiences from plaguing the home.
As a young woman Granny always urged me, “Ms. Mags, when you have your house one day, make sure that you always bless it properly, and be careful who crosses your doorways.”
Homes, and buildings have energy even if they are neuter gender. They may not have feelings, but they can still attract or repel positive or negative energy.
Granny would sometimes go on about some family she knew, who built a house and they couldn’t sleep at night time in the house. They were always awakened by whispers of voices in the house. Objects in the home were moved around or misplaced.
It was almost as if the home was haunted. The children in the home were constantly ill and they were always pestered by minor injuries.
There was no doubt in my Grandmother’s mind that the house needed a purging.
She urged the owners to change around the furniture to confuse the spirits. Then to wash the house down with ammonia. Plenty of prayers were to be said, the house had to be sprinkled with white rum in every crack and crevice. Candles were to remain lit for several days.
These minor activities may have seem very trivial and a bunch of rubbish. However, within a few weeks My Granny got a phone call thanking her.
The owners exclaimed, “The house doesn’t feel morbid anymore, it has such a light, cheery spirit within and everyone sleeps like a baby at night!”
Although curiosity lead the owners of the home to conduct research on why it felt haunted in the first place. My Grandmother already knew that there were unwelcome spirits roaming around. After the research was finished, experts found out that the home was built on a grave site.
No one bothered to ask the spirits for their permission. Their souls were ill at ease.
A cleansing of the home put their evil nature to rest and allowed the new family to enjoy their residence.
As I got older and spent more time with Granny, she never ceased to remind me that we are never truly “alone”. There are always spirits around us, good and bad. However, there are always precautions to take to deter the bad spirits.
So I guess what my Granny was trying to tell me is that, sometimes planning is overrated.
Hence the saying, “Man a plan, God a find out…..”
Folks may try to put “the kabosh” on your plans but just remember………..
There isn’t a better Master Planner than God. When men connive, or practice chicanery, to thwart your plans, they tend to forget, that God is always present. He sees and knows everything.