Black Love is Our History

By Nadia Charles

IG: nadii.sc

Grandparents are the creators of families. They serve as the living link between the past and the family’s future. When I hear family stories from my grandparents, I feel a greater connection to family history, and it influences the way I want to raise my future family. However, the biggest takeaway has been seeing the way my grandparents love each other. My Nana, a Georgia native, and my Papa, an Alabama native, met in Santa Barbara, California. Both were fleeing from the South when segregation and high acts of discrimination were taking place against African Americans. After many nights of sneaking out to see each other and dinner dates, they tied the knot on July 21st.

Fifty-three years of marriage, two children, and three grandchildren later, the love between them is unconditional and everlasting. The sparkles that appear in their eyes as they talk about each other still exist, and I hope it never fades away. Every moment spent with them, I see what I want in a partner. My Nana and Papa speak to each other with such respect, and even in moments of bickering, the word “babe” is still used, displaying an unwavering love.

Till this day, they always find ways to spoil each other with gifts, such as books about flowers or golf polos, because those are their favorite hobbies. I often ask them what their secret is to a long-lasting marriage, and their answer is always their family. We are their motivation to keep loving each other and blessing others. In marriage, you vow to love someone for better or worse, and they embody that exact meaning. Every day isn’t sunshine and rainbows, but love is powerful and infinite.

I hope we can all have epic romantic love stories one day.