Sadie Mae

Every family has a story that becomes a guiding light, a reminder of where we come from and what is possible. For me, that story belongs to my grandmother, Sadie Mae.

She grew up in rural Mississippi, surrounded by the grinding poverty of a sharecropping world. From a young age, she dreamed of more. She did not just want to survive; she wanted to escape, to find a life beyond the dusty roads and endless fields she had always known.

When my grandfather came into her life, he seemed like that escape. He was cutting pulpwood near her house when they met. He was strong, charismatic, and full of promise. She loved him deeply, and marrying him felt like the start of her new beginning. It was her chance to leave the country and build something different for herself.

But the freedom she was chasing came at a cost. My grandfather wrestled with demons of his own, struggling with gambling and alcohol. Those struggles eventually turned into anger and abuse. What began as hope slowly became heartache. For many women at that time, especially Black women in the rural South, leaving a marriage like that was almost unthinkable. Society expected them to endure quietly, to accept their fate and bear the pain in silence.

Sadie Mae chose a different path.

She gathered every ounce of courage she had and walked away.

With her children by her side and no clear roadmap for what came next, she built a new life from nothing. She rose above poverty, violence, racism and every other obstacle placed in her way. In doing so, she did not just save herself. She changed the trajectory of our entire family.

Her journey didn’t stop there. In her forties, while raising her children, she did something extraordinary: she went to college. She worked tirelessly, balancing family and studies, and earned her degree to become a teacher. It was a dream realized late in life, proof that it is never too late to start over and rewrite your story. That act of courage and determination showed me that growth has no deadline.

Her story is my compass.

Whenever I face fear, doubt, or uncertainty, I think of Sadie. I picture her walking away from everything she knew to create a better future. If she could take that leap with so little, how can I not take mine with all the resources and opportunities her sacrifice made possible for me?

Her life reminds me that courage is not about the absence of fear. Courage is about moving forward despite fear, trusting that each step you take builds a bridge to the life you are meant to live.

Sadie Mae did not just dream of freedom. She claimed it. And because of her, I know I can too.

Later,

Darrian Douglas