10/22/2025
Today in our clinic’s book club, we gathered around Lorraine Hansberry’s timeless story, A Raisin in the Sun. What unfolded was more than a discussion — it was a mirror.
Our group spoke about unconditional love — the kind Mama (Lena Younger) showed through every sacrifice, holding her family together even when dreams clashed and tempers flared. Someone said, “She was the foundation in the house — that’s why she wanted to spend the money on a home. They’d always need someplace to live.” That wisdom hit home: stability and love before anything else.
We talked about dreams — and how not every dream gets fulfilled. “You can’t fill all the dreams,” one person said, reflecting on Walter Lee’s hunger for success. It reminded us that sometimes ambition can blur into obsession — “wanting the money like an addict.”
Others noted the way money becomes the root of all evil, twisting good intentions and testing love. We saw that in Walter’s gamble, in Beneatha’s pride, and even in the world that set limits around them. Yet through it all, Mama’s love never faltered — “Mother knew love for all.”
Someone connected the story to their own upbringing: “We knew about struggle, just like that family. If we wanted anything, we had to get jobs. Black families only had enough to pay the bills — we had to be resourceful.” Another added, “We were innovators. We built our own transportation — now you see electric bikes, but we already had that idea.”
As one person said so clearly: “All that glitters is not gold.” Beneatha’s education, Walter’s dreams, and even the promise of money all come with choices — and consequences.
Our conversation reminded us that even in dysfunction, there can be deep love. That sometimes the greatest wealth isn’t in what we own, but in who stands beside us.
Like the Younger family, we know about struggle — and we know about strength
