Mrs. Brewington was very proud of her community – its colorful past and its future potential. Her faith in her community left an indelible impression upon me, even though she passed away more than ten years ago. She and I talked several times about the interesting aspects of its history.

One of the stories she told me was about Ma Hachett who operated a well known bordello in her community. It was a flourishing business, drawing men from not only the surrounding communities, but from other states, as well.

It wasn’t legal, of course, but local law enforcement rarely closed down the business. Mrs. Brewington was not ashamed of the legacy of Ma Hachett’s place; she thought it added interest to her community’s past.

Her little community had thrived despite what some might consider its checkered past. She had done her best to help change its reputation and make it prosper. She was proud of how things turned out, even though she felt more was left to be done.

The residents were working together, building a community in which their grandchildren would live. Committees were formed and people worked together to make the community better. She was right in the middle of it all, serving as an officer on the community board and a leader on many of the work crews.

Recently, I had an experience which brought to mind Mrs. Brewington and her community’s positive approach. I was visiting my Uncle in New York. While there, I traveled on a bus from his retirement village to the train station and noticed a flock of baby geese and their mother crossing the road in front of the bus.

I excitedly mentioned the baby geese to an older lady sitting next to me on the bus. I was expecting her to say “Isn’t that nice,” or “Aren’t they cute.” Instead, she said “Oh great, just what we need, more geese!” My Uncle said this response was typical of New Yorkers who see obstacles which impede them, not opportunities.

This reminded me of Mrs. Brewington and her community; she never let obstacles stand in her way when trying to make it a better place. I believe that if she saw a flock of baby geese crossing the road she never would have viewed them as an annoyance or impediment.

If it had been Mrs. Brewington on that bus in New York, she would have said “Aren’t the baby geese precious, maybe we can use them to show how beautiful our community is.” That’s just they way she was, and it’s what I learned from her. She wanted her community to be remembered, not only for the infamous times, but also for its good people and bright future.

I’ve heard it said that some people come armed with common sense, common decency, and the Bible. To me that is a perfect description of Mrs. Brewington, too.

###

Return to Lessons Learned