April 22, 2003
Dear Mom,
In Liberia, I often wondered about the woman underneath the anger — the one who had loved me and considered herself a "very good mother." Before — and after — I understood the implications of manic-depressive and bipolar disorder, I couldn't help but contemplate whether your music made you this way. Your music was brilliant; you were brilliant. When you performed it seemed like music made you whole — you could be a whole different person on stage, with your captivating voice's revealing your deepest thoughts and emotions. But I still wonder: did you love the music? Did you love the hours spent caressing each note and each lyric? Did you love the jazz and blues you were forced to play rather than playing your first love (classical)? And if you could choose to: would you do it all over again?
Your daughter,
Nina
Dear Mom,
In Liberia, I often wondered about the woman underneath the anger — the one who had loved me and considered herself a "very good mother." Before — and after — I understood the implications of manic-depressive and bipolar disorder, I couldn't help but contemplate whether your music made you this way. Your music was brilliant; you were brilliant. When you performed it seemed like music made you whole — you could be a whole different person on stage, with your captivating voice's revealing your deepest thoughts and emotions. But I still wonder: did you love the music? Did you love the hours spent caressing each note and each lyric? Did you love the jazz and blues you were forced to play rather than playing your first love (classical)? And if you could choose to: would you do it all over again?
Your daughter,
Nina