Ode to Darlene

In 2005, I became a mother of an adoptive child that came to us through a family member's drug issues that never went away, we have had her for almost four years now. When I would question myself if I could take on this job, I remembered the struggle that my aunt had raising two of her own along with my sister and I. Barely a full grown woman herself, she worked in the shoe factory. I remember her coming home with a new pair of shoes for me every now and then. I remember how hard she worked, how she struggle to provide for us. I remember her purple mustang, how proud she was when she bought that car. I remember one night she came home and woke me up late because she had a surprise for me. There was a truck with a horse trailer on the back and the man lead out this big gray mare, she said that is not all, behind came a foal, we named him apple jacks. I remember all the good she did for me and how she always put us first in her mind and her heart.

I am proud to be a coal miner's daughter, a female coal miner's daughter that is. She struggled to fit in as one of four female coal miners. She was the only one out of the four to last. She worked for nine and half years until the company was bought out and the option was there to move from Pennsylvania to West Virginia to finish up her ten years for her pension.

She was a one of the few women roof bolter's around at the time. She would come home with her aching back and dirty clothes. She did not get to enjoy the female luxuries in life, never had a manicure, her hair was dry and split but she pursued the job wholeheartedly to support her family. I remember a mining belt breaking one time and throwing her against the wall, she worked in the office and did light duty till she was released to go back to work underground. I would go to work with her and crash out in the shower room.

When the company came in and bought out Barnes and Tucker, she said goodbye to the crew of 24D and they all went on their way. She pursued another non traditional line of work in road construction until she recently suffered a heart attack that has set her back in the exhausting occupations that she has held through out her life.

I remember being a teenager that did not feel like I belonged to anyone. As I look back today, I think of how it must have broke her heart to see what all her time invested had brought her. I hope she realizes, it was nothing personal, that is just how teenagers are. I went into the service myself and pursued a career as a soldier who maintained weapons and fire control equipment.

I am writing to say "thank you" for all your time, love and attention. Thank you for giving me a strong work ethic and the courage to pursue my ambitions without fear. I know you say I act like my uncle, but in a lot of ways, I am proud to say that I am a lot like you. Our paths have been copied over to a new generation and here I am taking the same steps you have. Thank you for paving the way. I hope my daughter is as strong, as passionate and as stubborn as her legacies. I hope you live a long, long life so that you can be around to share the next generation with me.

You have set a standard for me that I hope I have achieved success in your eyes. I hope you know that I am very proud to be your daughter.