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    How Well Do We Know Ourselves
    How Well Do We Know Ourselves
    How Well Do We Know Ourselves
    Ebook150 pages2 hours

    How Well Do We Know Ourselves

    By Anita Johnson and Joseph Muhammad

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Strong is a word often associated with her. She must be judging from her hand in life. Anita (the youngest girl of the eleven Johnson children) gives you her truth accompanied by words from her sisters of the polar struggles and love she endured growing up in her hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. This offering is a blend of drama, self help, and comedy all rolled into a story that will tickle you into tears as you vicariously travel with her through her life. Her descriptive memories will carry you through this reading keeping you anxious to see what "Nita" is up to next. Grab yourself a highlighter, a snack, maybe even a drink, and get ready to be glued not only to this book, but the heart of the lady the world calls Mama Nita.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookBaby
    Release dateJun 10, 2019
    ISBN9780997217896
    How Well Do We Know Ourselves

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    Reviews for How Well Do We Know Ourselves

    4.5/5

    4 ratings2 reviews

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    • 2/5
      This was a good read it gets you to thinking about life
      Monica Edwards
      Waco,Tx
    • 5/5
      THIS book was AMAZING in EVERY WAY!!! A great read…

    Book preview

    How Well Do We Know Ourselves - Anita Johnson

    Copyright © 2019 by Toya Wright Publishing

    ISBN: 978-0-9972178-8-9

    All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting Rick George using rick@sperrypark.com. Thank you for supporting the author’s rights.

    Credits

    Editorial: Carla DuPont

    Cover Design: Aries George

    Dedication

    I am an adult, mother, and child of God. I didn’t have a perfect life, but I still had a life. I’ve lived and learned many things; it’s my time to really know and enjoy myself. My biggest gift is my family. Without each of them, I couldn’t heal myself. So, I ask for forgiveness from my grandchildren, friends, and family to be able to heal.

    I’m going to keep searching for ways to better myself. I try every day to do so, one day at a time. I’m thankful to have a book writer, Joe, a son of God, and he’s my son, too. He helps me through my obstacles and can relate because he has been through challenges as well. I thank God for him. After losing two of my boys, God brought him to help and heal me.

    Here is my story, my testimony. Getting past my drug habits, molestation, and my boys’ deaths. Who could we turn to without anybody’s love? God knows.

    Love,

    Mama Nita

    Foreword

    For as long as I can remember, my mom has always been a realist. No matter what life has thrown at her, she has always embraced it with a smile. The main reason I am able to deal with so much pain and adversity, and still keep my head high is because of my mom. I write these words sitting on my bunk in the can awaiting trial. I have four more years to do on my federal sentence, but I’m facing life on some state charges. Sometimes I think to myself, How did I get here?

    As kids, we never make the right decisions. We seem to think that we have it all figured out. But at fifteen years of age, Anita was forced to make a decision. She was forced to figure it out. Only a baby herself, she decided to embrace love over pain. And no matter what may become of me in America’s system, I will always be the most grateful child ever; for my mom gave me life.

    What you think you know of us is only a fraction of the truth. Whether it’s concerning her drug addiction, Toya and my disagreements, Josh and Rudy’s deaths or anything that traveled in the wind and fell in your ear, you never got the full story. After reading my and Toya’s books, our mom is about to put the icing on the cake with hers.

    I pray that whoever reads this book gains some form of understanding; that they may be able to use her testimony as a tool to fix whatever problems they may have. Know that struggles are precious jewels handed from God. For I know through experience, on both sides of the world, that it’s never over until it’s over.

    My mom is absolutely the truest form of defining a miracle. She will ask you, How well do you know yourself? while speaking to you at 100 words per 5 seconds. Those who know her, know what I mean. Whether you call her Nita, Joyce, or ‘Cigarette,’ you know her as the lady who will open her home to a stranger and feed them the best red beans ever made. She is truly one of a kind. To her kids and grandkids, she’s a special person in our lives. If you know us, you know we love us some Anita. But if you’re reading this, it is now your turn to feel how we feel.

    I would like to add that I love my mom with all of my heart and I’m proud of her for never giving up or throwing the towel in. You inspire us all. Thanks for giving me life, baby. I owe you for eternity.

    Your first born,

    Walter Jonas Johnson

    Foreword

    This book is a must read, for so many reasons…My mom put so much truth and pain in this book! This book means too much to me, she’s been through so much. It was only right that she shared her story! My mom always walks around with a smile and laughter. You’ll never know what pain she fights or how she really feels.

    Lord knows I wish Josh and Rudy were here to witness the love she will receive! Everyone should gain more knowledge and strength to deal with life after this read!

    Anisha Johnson

    Foreword

    To my beautiful mother,

    Toya Johnson

    My Heavenly Father, I am asking you God to use me in writing my book How Well We Know Ourselves. Heavenly Father, I know that it is you who created time and I am on your time Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father, I pray that this book helps to explain my life and it will be used as a vessel for however you will Heavenly Father. I pray that this book will be used as a chronological timeline for my family, especially my children. I need to give it all that I’ve got, because this story truly means something. My story may help people who can relate to me be able to find understanding and encouragement to get to know themselves. Please Heavenly Father, let this book show people the importance of getting to know themselves.

    Oh God, Creator of all humans, I’ve been through so much of the wrongs in life. I want to share and appreciate some of the good things that have come along in my life as well. I need this to help me heal! I need your help Heavenly Father. I need no one’s opinions or concerns to get in the way. I need to breathe. Like my daughter Toya said, I need to ‘let it all out.’ As you know Heavenly Father, my son Walter and I have been writing this life story since the beginning of his time. He’s been with me along this whole way. You know what I’ve been through. With your strength invested in me, I’ve made it! I’ve made it to today without losing my wit. Without losing my everything. I’ve made it to today with the family and friends that I am blessed to have. I’m so thankful for them Heavenly Father. I need your help today. I cannot do this on my own. I am ready. Everybody has a testimony. I’m ready to be in service of you.

    How Well Do We Know Ourselves. A book of testimonies. A genuine book. A book about my family’s generations.

    The better I know myself, the more I will be able to heal myself. I want to share the pain and thoughts that are hurting in my mind, heart, and soul. I need to share this for my grandchildren. I want to continue to teach my family how to love and care for ourselves by the examples of the things we go through. Let the things we go through bring us closer together, not further apart.

    Y’all gonna have to bear with me through this book. This book is about healing, and Joe is here to help me share it.

    I go by Mama Nita, or Nita. My sons used to call me Nene from time to time when they teased me. My sons were all around me. All the time. I raised them boys. My boys love their mama. Walter and Casey are still here with me in the flesh, but none of my boys ever left me. God shows me signs every day that Josh and Rudy are still with me. Josh and Rudy be playing with me. Rudy turns my pictures crooked and Josh is smiling at me ‘cause I went ahead and started my book. Josh talks to me at night and tells me, Go ahead and go to sleep now, Ma. Gone head to sleep. They are watching over their mama! This is for them! Josh believes in his mama so much it’s a damn shame. Even when I question myself, Josh still believes. He stands behind his mama.

    This is for myself! To have a sense of self-accomplishment! The people I talk to can’t wait for this book to be finished. We are all in each other’s lives, and we support each other, so you better believe they’re all waiting for their autographed copy of this book.

    I was born at Charity Hospital on Saturday April 16, 1966. Lots of folks were born there, it was sort of popular. It was a teaching hospital; students went to school there. It was one of the main medical centers in New Orleans. Well, up until Hurricane Katrina. Katrina flooded it out and left the hospital abandoned.

    I’m the daughter of Tillman and Helen Johnson. Mama and Daddy raised us in the 7th Ward District of New Orleans. The second largest Ward in New Orleans only to the 9th Ward. The 9th Ward is dangerous today. The slogan in the 9th Ward says, The 9th Ward, where they don’t mind dying at. That’s a damn shame.

    The 7th Ward is between the Lakefront and Gentilly Terrance. Lakefront is beautiful, yes. Very pretty indeed. Pretty and dangerous too, you have to be careful. People drive up to the lake and swim in it and live by it. But, people come up missing in the lake all the time. New Orleans is surrounded by water. Water and bridges. Big lakes that are all connected. See, the Lakefront was the front to Lake Pontchartrain. That water is far! Blue and far as the eyes can see!

    Gentilly was an area inside of the 7th Ward. That’s where we grew up. You had the horse races right up the street from us, where Mama always gambled. You also had Frenchmen Street in the 7th Ward too. Frenchmen Street was by the French Quarter. On Frenchmen Street they had bukoo (a lot) bars and restaurants and things like that. Live bands and music. Folks go out there to get drunk and have fun. The Big Easy. That’s what New Orleans is. An easy going, festive city. Yep,

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