Real Life Real Faith Wisdom for Everyday Life January Issue | Page 25

In her later years, I learned she was such a great servant to others, but not to herself. It appears the
great servant still was not mentally healthy enough to love Willie Mae. Servitude actually was a
means of escape from self. Deep inside, she felt unworthy of love and self-respect. With all she had
to give, no one could hug or tell her he or she loved her. Any attempt towards nurturing she would
shuck it off. Over the years she and I became very close and we had long hours of conversations on
the phone. I lived in Ohio while Willie Mae lived in Indiana. Eventually the truth was revealed.
Serving others gave her purpose while the physical exhaustion allowed the mind .to be shut down.
For quite some time, I felt something was amiss with her obsession to serve. The fact she did not
take care of herself or cared how she appeared bothered me. Daily, this woman wore herself
out helping others; this is no exaggeration. Sometimes I would find her asleep with her head down
on the kitchen table or in the bathroom sitting on the toilet with a note pad in her hand and
oftentimes in her bed with the television and lights still on and dressed in her work clothes. When
you would awaken her, to undress and get under the covers, she would immediately start back to
working around the house.
Though Willie Mae never experienced being happy, being a servant gave her a means of escape
from depression. I just wished she could have been happy doing it. Yet, I thank God her living was
not in vain. We all were strengthened by her need to be servant. Every day was a day of service for
Willie Mae.