Agnes Doncha Cry, Hold Ya Head High

By Sharon Elisha Smith

Agnes Doncha Cry, Hold Ya Head High is a semi-autobiography of the life of the author. Agnes has been through many adversities in her childhood, as well as in her young adulthood. She had a father who left when she was just a baby, a mother who eventually gave her away to her grandparents, and a marriage that turned out to be disappointing. While going through these adversities, Agnes has managed to hold her head high to a higher power for strength to help her get through it all. Throughout the story, you will read about the thoughts that were going through Agnes head and how she dealt with the outcome of them all.
The author wrote the story, in hopes, to give a message to those who have been through many adversities and felt like giving up: Even in the midst of those adversities, you can make it. Though struggles may come, you will overcome.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 26, 2004
• ISBN: 9781462839896

Sharon Elisha Smith

Sharon Elisha Smith is the author of Let Go My Sunshine and Agnes Doncha Cry, Hold Ya Head High. In her spare time, she likes to travel, read, sing, spend time with her two daughters and write novels. She lives in Sacramento, California and is at work on her next novel.

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Copyright © 2003 by Sharon Elisha Smith.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Contents

AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY

BOOK SUMMARY

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

Dedication

This book is dedicated to

my two daughters,

Keeyah and Kayla.

To my grandparents,

may you both rest in peace.

AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY

Sharon Elisha Smith, born and raised in Alabama, came to California the last year of high school with a passion to succeed. She is a prime example of a young lady who is determined to make it. She has proved that she is indeed a leader, and not a follower, by holding on to her dreams and persevering. While learning to have faith and leaning on to God for strength, Sharon has hurdled through many adversities as a child, as well as a young woman. Yet, she has managed not to give up in the midst of her struggles, by constantly succeeding and being a positive role model for others who might have experienced similar situations as she.

Sharon holds a Master of Arts Degree in organizational Management. She lives in California with her two daughters.

BOOK SUMMARY

Agnes Doncha Cry, Hold Ya’ Head High is a semi-autobiography of the life of the author. Agnes has been through many adversities in her childhood, as well as in her young adulthood. She had a father who left when she was just a baby, a mother who eventually gave her away to her grandparents, and a marriage that turned out to be disappointing. While going through these adversities, Agnes has managed to hold her head high to a higher power for strength to help her get through it all. Throughout the story, you will read about the thoughts that were going through Agnes’ head and how she dealt with the outcome of them all.

The author wrote the story, in hopes, to give a message to those who have been through many adversities and felt like giving up: Even in the midst of those adversities, you can make it. Though struggles may come, you will overcome.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to God Almighty, for blessing me with many talents and the strength, endurance, and stamina needed to hold on to my dreams. When others said, no, God said, yes. Elaine Calhoun, a mother who truly showed me in the end what being a strong woman is all about, and who believed in me. Keeyah and Kayla, Mommy’s hearts for their love, tenderness, and the smiles I needed to keep me going. Kimberly, Angel, and Michael Calhoun, for their siblings’ love that will never die. Thank you all for your love and words of encouragement. Mary Roderick, for being an awesome godmother to my children and a wonderful friend to me, who keeps it real and lets me know, even when I am in the wrong. Kenneth, for showing me what real friendship is all about. Ashmeen Ashley Prasad, for being a good friend to the end. Rebecca Cordova, you are amazing.

Thanks a lot for designing the picture to the front cover of my book. I admire your ambition. Keep up the good work. Brandy Turner, Tran John Phan, and Rebecca Cordova, for being a fantastic study group to work with. Corondo Uncle C Calhoun and JoAnn Calhoun-Marshall, for spending each of your time with me as a little girl. Woodrow Calhoun, Sr., and Elvira Smith, my grandparents who had a strong influence in my childhood development, in helping to prepare me for life’s challenges. May you both continue to rest in peace. Woodrow Calhoun, Jr., my father, and Marjorie Williams, my aunt, for sending me the ticket to come to California. Kenny Wilson, for being my best buddy. Thanks for all the times you listened. All of my other aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and others whom I might have forgotten to mention, thanks for all of your kindness and words of wisdom to help me complete and make one of my dreams come true. Last but now least, thanks to the staff at Xlibris Publishing Company for all of their help in completing this book.

CHAPTER 1

On February 9, 1972, a baby girl by the name of Agnes was born. She was a chubby and cheerful eight-pound ten-ounce child, who was delivered in a small-town hospital in Alabama, where the population was about six thousand people, and everyone there knew each other from birth. Agnes’ mother and father grew up in this town, as did both of their families.

Her parents, Meena and Oteer, were only teenagers, who had just finished high school with dreams for their futures, when they conceived Agnes. Meena was a skinny, short, brown-skinned young lady with beautiful, long, straight hair. She was only eighteen years of age. As for Oteer, he was a short, chubby, handsome-looking young man with a clean haircut. He was only nineteen years of age. Meena and Oteer were very afraid of how they were going to take care of Agnes, so Meena got a job cleaning houses (far from her dream of going into the military to travel and see other countries). Oteer babysat Agnes and had dreams of going to college, but they were put on hold, because he was trying to stay with his family and help raise his daughter. Shortly after Agnes turned a month old, Meena and Oteer were forced to get married by both Meena’s mother, Gerdy, and Oteer’s father, Bileon.

Gerdy was an overweight widow who acted younger than her age, and she was not happy to hear her daughter had gotten pregnant. She even asked Meena to consider aborting the baby, so that she would be able to go into the military, but Meena refused. Gerdy was the type of mother who expected something in return for raising all six of her children (four girls and