My Cotton Patch Moment

When I was younger, I often heard that "Everyone wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die." But as the years pass, I am proud to grow older. After seeing many loved ones experience health issues, I have made a point of eating right, exercising, and having a positive attitude. Aging is a natural process, and I am excited to spend time with my loved ones, gaining new experiences like writing m...

Welcome to Season 2, where I will focus on health and well-being. New York Times and international bestselling author Eleanor Brown states, "Self-care is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel." How true that is. I learned this twice in my life. Once while battling a Texas employer in a civil lawsuit and once when I became overwhelmed with the demands of creativity. I am excited that o...

Who knew writing my memoir would lead to a podcast? I sure didn't. But a literary agent reviewing my book informed me that since I was not famous or an athlete or politician known to thousands of followers, I must market & introduce myself to a broad audience to sell my book. Disappointed but not deterred, I researched podcasting to connect with a greater audience. My head spun with all the feedba...

From kids screaming in the grocery store to seeing them trying to get a fourth dessert at the cookout, on more than one occasion I have thought, "That child has no home training." But watching my children do things I know they were not raised to do or think, and remembering some of my questionable youth choices, changed my perspective on observing other children's behavior. There is more to this e...

Maya Angelou became inspired to write when she joined the Harlem Writers Guide in the late 1950s. My inspiration to write was somewhat similar. After signing up for a writing class to keep my mind sharp, I was challenged to write a short story about a life event. My story about domestic violence caught the eye of the teacher who asked me to speak with her after class one day. She encouraged me to...

I nurtured relatives, charities, and people asking for spare change for over forty years but denied myself. Beginning in my fifties, I focused on what brings me joy. I volunteered at a women's shelter, a children's hospital, and my son's school. I threw myself a big birthday bash, enjoyed lunch with girlfriends, and traveled extensively. A missionary trip to Nairobi, Kenya, to visit orphanages at...

My Daddy, Abraham Billups, was the first man I ever loved. I adored his flawless skin, self-assuredness, and unparalleled work ethic. But as a child growing up on his Alabama cotton field, I did not appreciate my father's positive attributes. All I could see was his stormy temperament. There is more to this episode in my memoir: " Unbroken: My Journey of Defiance, Resilience, & Grace ," due out la...

When I left the cotton patch and my family to attend computer school, I never imagined the doors it would open. Doors like modeling, winning beauty pageants, and signing a recording contract! Doors I never dreamed of while staring at a pitch-black sky as I wished on stars in Wetumpka, Alabama. Honorable Mentions She Didn't Know (She Kept On Talking) by Dee Dee Warwick Dayton Daily News Wright Stat...

I had been helping Mama cook since I was five, dashing between the kitchen and her bedroom, making culinary magic. Little did I know that in 10th grade, a cooking and sewing challenge would change the trajectory my life and send me to Hollywood! Honorable Mentions Mamaw's Chicken and Rice Casserole Future Homemakers of America The 5th Dimension - Up, Up and Away (Official Audio) 📝👧🏽👩🏽🧓🏽📖 T...

With Mother's Day fast approaching, I thought it was a perfect time to dedicate an entire episode to my mother, Mildred J. Billups - the most talented story teller I have ever known. If you have a parent still with you, please talk to them about their life. Ask them questions. You never know how long they will be with you. Happy Mother's Day, Mama. I miss and love you. Honorable Mentions History o...

My loss journey began at a young age with my infant sister's passing. I was seven years old, sad, and frightened. Yet, through years of losing close loved ones, I have accepted death as a natural part of life; I cherish the precious moments allotted to me with those I've lost. And, though nothing or no one can fill their void, I am at peace as I journey on, carrying their memories as a source of c...

Have you ever found love in an unexpected place? Was it after you decided that relationships weren't worth it? That happened to me after a man I had hoped to spend the rest of my life with told me he wanted "no strings attached." I pulled the dagger from my heart, walked out of his life, and swore off all men. But a new career in a new city led me to someone who, with one heartfelt question, chang...

My Mama knew before I did that I was not meant to stay in Alabama. When I was 18, I was on my way to explore who I was becoming in Ohio. But before I left, my mother shared with me her dowry. It wasn't money or jewels. It was priceless. This episode is Chapter 1 of my memoir, " Unbroken: My Journey of Defiance, Resilience, & Grace ," which is in submission. You can be the first to know when it is...

Three months after my divorce, I purchased my first home. Unaware of what a feat this was in 1976, looking back I am in awe of how life works in your favor if you just believe it will. Come join me as I share how an older woman's belief in me and a landlord who dismissed me, inspired this episode's Cotton Patch Moment. Honorable Mentions The Equal Credit Opportunity Act A Bank of Her Own The Pregn...

My Cotton Patch Moment is a motivational, comedic podcast that is about listening to your inner voice and knowing when to change directions. It's about believing that no matter the circumstances we are born into, we are not stuck there. We can determine our destiny if we are willing to work for it. My name is Mildred J. Mills. I am a writer, motivational speaker, wife, mother, grandma, and the thi...