AlexSandra Lett "Lett's Set a Spell"

Lett’s Set a Spell:
A Legacy of Love

When my brother Jimmy, my sister Carolyn and I sit on the pews at Moore Union Christian Church on Sundays, we are among the oldest Letts who are still members. We are members of a tribe—hundreds of kinfolks who have worshipped inside there—and the sixth generation of Letts to grow up near the Cape Fear River in the Buckhorn community. Our childhood home is located about three miles from Lett’s Landing, the site where our ancestors settled in 1745. They came from Ireland in search of a new life and found what they were looking for: lots of rich bottom land for growing cotton and other crops. The homesteaders marked their chosen site and claimed about 2,000 acres, some of which is still owned by family members.

Both Grandpa (Puzie Lett) and Grandma (Verta Cox Lett) inherited land along the Cape Fear River, he at Lett’s Landing and she in the Buckhorn Dam area.

They started a family near the river but moved three miles up the road into a big white farmhouse. Later, the couple bought another house across the road, which was eventually given to their oldest son Puzie (Bud) Lett, as he carried on the tradition of toiling the land and bringing in the harvest. He and his wife, Ruby, joyfully became partners, loved the land, and relished its bounty.

As we three young’uns labored on the Lett farm we felt a connection with our birthright but discovered we did not have the inclination to follow in the footsteps of our parents. Jimmy enjoyed cutting firewood and realized he could make a good living getting rid of unwanted trees. When Hurricane Fran hit our area in 1996 his avocation-turned-vocation became a booming business.

Carolyn realized she had inherited Mama’s natural ability to “work with figures” and acquired business and accounting skills. She prefers steady employment with a large company.

The “baby girl” displayed a flair for the dramatic and developed a desire to be a professional singer and actress. When poetry and prose flowed effortlessly on writing tablets from Grandpa’s country store, teachers urged me to pursue my “way with words.” I enjoyed working with newspapers, magazines, and television stations but chose collaborating with my computer at home and speaking to audiences far and wide.

Mama said to me about two years ago, “How could I have given birth to three children who are so different?” We can never comprehend the science of genetics—we see traits that are passed on and also note talents and characteristics that make no sense at all. However, believing in a God that knows best we must honor individual idiosyncrasies. As my nephew Wayne likes to say, “God don’t make junk!”

Now Jimmy, Carolyn, and I carry the torch to pass the traditions of our ancestors forward to future generations. We also have the opportunity to blaze new trails. Each of us must choose our unique way to make a difference in the lives of others, and perhaps, our highest goal is to leave a legacy of love.