Addy: Let Your Spirit Sing

A few months ago I purchased Addy’s benne candy tin (Pleasant Co) from eBay, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day seems like a good date to revisit this part of Addy’s story.

Words below are from Connie Porter’s book “Happy Birthday, Addy!”  The character M’Dear is an elderly neighbor who encourages Addy to claim a birth date of her own, since she does not know her actual birthday having been born a slave.  The date she chooses is the end of the Civil War.

Momma led Addy to one table, and there at her place was a tin of benne candies from M’Dear.

“You sure did pick a special day for your birthday,” said M’Dear.  “This is from Sunny and me.”

Addy opened the gift to find two of Sunny’s bright yellow feathers tied together with a bow.  Addy held them gently, a bit of bright sunshine in the palm of her hand.

“Thank you,” Addy said.  She kissed M’Dear and pinned the feathers in her hair.

“Let these remind you to always let your spirit sing out,” said M’Dear.

“I will,” promised Addy. “I will.”