Introduction

Essie Mae Laveau Jenkins is a 78-year-old sweetgrass basket weaver who sits on the side of Hwy. 17 in the company of her dead husband, Daddy Jim. Inspired by her Auntie Leona, Essie Mae finally discovers her calling in life and weaves powerful "love baskets," praying fervently over them to affect the lives of those who visit her roadside stand. When she's faced with losing her home and her stand and being put in a nursing home, Daddy Jim talks her into coming on up to Heaven to meet sweet Jesus-something she's always wanted to do. Once there, she reunites with Gullahs and African ancestors; but soon, her heavenly peace is disrupted, for she still has work to do. Now Essie Mae, who once felt powerless and invisible, must find the strength within her to keep her South Carolina family from falling apart.

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Excerpt

Prologue

This is what I remember about that night—my last night alive. After having me a fine meal of crispy cornbread and dipping it in buttermilk just like Daddy used to do, I headed on back to the bathroom. I turned on the water in the tub, not too hot, but good enough to get my blood moving. I wanted to feel the life tingling through my veins.

For being seventy-eight years old, I can’t say as I ever felt more alive than I did that very night. It’s a funny thing knowing you gonna die soon. I felt the air kiss my skin. The sound of water rushed in my ears like a river. And I seen colors like I was seeing ‘em for the very first time—like I’d been blind up ’til then. I wanted to look back on my life and taste every speck of it, the good and

the bad. It had been a good life, sure ’nough. I’d had me a fine mama and daddy, a sweet husband, and a beautiful grandbaby. My daughter had been my only real grief, seeing as she ain’t loved me too much, but I done the best I could with her, and I had peace with that.

I lay there in the water feeling it tickle down over my shoulders. I remembered when Jim would touch me like that. Oh, Jim, it won’t be long now, I thought. I was getting right excited about what I was gonna do. My blood was a-boiling and my fingers was itching to weave. By the grace of God, this was gonna be the finest basket I ever made. And

everything that was bothering me—my house I was getting ready to lose, and the nursing home I was fixing to get stuck into, the stretch of highway I was gonna get kicked off of, and the tension ’tween my daughter and me—it was all gonna be over soon. Hallelujah, praise Jesus! Jim’d told me if I made one of my love baskets just one last time, that we’ll be together forever—and I could touch his sweet face again and meet Jesus just like I always wanted.

I reached down and pulled the plug by my feet and watched as the water and bubbles and all the dirt that was on me just a-washed down the drain. My body sure ain’t looked like it used to, no sir. My black skin was loose and not so pretty no more—not like it was when I met Jim and ’fore I had Henrietta. I was a good-looking woman back then if I do say so myself.

I grabbed on to the white porcelain and tried to pull myself up real slow. With all the water gone, my big ol’ body was dead weight and not so easy to lift. I wrapped my towel around me and looked in the mirror above the sink—at my gray hair still in them cornrows I been wearing forever and my shoulders all drooped from carrying this extra weight. But my eyes was what struck me the most. It sure is a strange

thing looking into your own eyes and seeing the life in there, knowing it’ll all be gone soon.

I turned real quick and headed ’cross the hall to the bedroom, changing into my most comfortable nightgown, the one with the white lace ’round the hem like my wedding dress had. I stuck the cloth up close to my nose and breathed in real deep. I’ll always remember that. I been using the same washing powder since forever, so it’s the same smell Jim used to have when I’d hug him tight ’round the neck.

I’d already pulled my sweetgrass up onto the bed. I reached over and grabbed the picture frames propped up next to me and traced each and every face. There was Mama, God rest her soul. And Daddy right beside her. I guessed I’d be seeing ’em again real soon. I looked at the one of Henrietta and my sweet grandbaby, EJ. I sure was gonna be sad to leave my EJ, but he’d be all right without me. He was a fine young man and had his future to look after—ain’t no need to waste time looking after me no more.

The last picture I seen was of my Auntie Leona with her hair

pulled up tight. She looked back at me, and I swear I could hear her say, “You can do it, Essie Mae. You got a strong head and an even stronger heart. Girl, you can do anything you set your mind to.” So I pulled out my big-print Bible and grabbed Jim’s hair I’d stuck down in there. Then I used my free hand to reach ’round and pull one of my own hairs out my head. After twisting ’em up real tight, I closed my eyes and prayed, “I love You, sweet Jesus. Help me out now, Lord. Let this one work, please, and bring me on home. Sweet Jesus, go ’head and bring me on home.”

I weaved all night long ’til my fingers and my back was sore. My mind was racing so much, I ain’t felt it none ’til I was just about done. Once I realized it was almost finished, I said, “Whoa, now.” Not sure what was gonna happen to me. I’d asked God not to hit me with a Mack truck, but ain’t thought about what else might happen. Was it gonna hurt? Great God in heaven, all a sudden I was getting kinda scared. I decided to set my basket down and wait to finish it while sitting with Jim at my stand next morning. That way, I wouldn’t be alone when the good Lord called me to heaven, however He decided to take me there. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

1.Does Daddy Jim truly sit with Essie Mae and speak with her? What does EJ believe? How about Henrietta? Why do you think Daddy Jim visits Essie Mae at her roadside stand? Why doesn’t he come to the house on Rifle Range Road? If Daddy Jim truly loves Essie Mae, why do you think he won’t go to Sunnydale Farms?
2.Essie Mae feels she’s found her calling in life. What is her calling? Have you found your calling in life? If so, how did you realize it? If not, what may be standing in your way? Do you believe everyone has a calling?
3.Essie Mae is 78-years-old. Is she part of your generation, your mother’s, or your grandmother’s? What characteristics does she share with women of her generation?
4.Both Jeffrey Lowes and Jackson Hemmingway were cared for as children by Essie Mae. What do you think about nanny-child relationships? What does it say to you that a white family chooses a nanny who is African-American?
5.What do you think Essie Mae is most afraid of? How does she handle that fear? What do you think Henrietta is most afraid of? How does she handle her fears? Have you ever considered what you’re most afraid of? How might your fears impact your actions and your loved ones?
6.What does Essie Mae learn about Henrietta in the course of this book? What does she learn about herself?
7.When Essie Mae is in heaven she says, “It’s a wonder we understand each other a’tall down on Earth what with us only seeing little snippets of folks every now and again.” Does Essie Mae ever understand her daughter, Henrietta? Does Henrietta ever understand her mother? In any relationship, how important is it that we understand each other? What are some ways to foster better understanding?
8.In what ways is The Spirit of Sweetgrass a love story?
In this book, Essie Mae has a strong spiritual connection to places: Mount Pleasant, the lime-green house, her roadside stand, Africa, heaven. Do you have a spiritual connection to a place? Explain.
9.The themes of home and homeland are strong in The Spirit of Sweetgrass. Why is heritage and paying homage to homeland important? What is Essie Mae’s true homeland? What is yours?
10.The themes of life and death are threaded throughout this book. What are some instances of these events? How do these events affect the characters in the book? Essie Mae? Jeffrey? Henrietta?
11.Discuss the use of color in The Spirit of Sweetgrass. Are these colors symbolic in any way?
12.The notion of “Power” or being “powerful” fuels this story. What is Power, where does it come from, and who has it? Does Essie Mae have power in the beginning of the book? In the end? Is there power in Essie Mae’s “love baskets”?
13.Who or what is “the spirit of sweetgrass”?
14.Heaven is an important setting in this book. Describe what you imagine heaven is like. What do you hope it will be like? Do you have any fears about heaven? Do you believe there’s a connection between heaven and Earth?

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