Congratulations on your survival, growth, motherhood, and womanhood! The turmoil that you’ve encountered along the way and the tasks before you echoe such familiar songs of my past! I am Karen, 39 yo native Washingtonian, student and social service worker and mom of two beautiful, bright and intelligently electrifying daughters, ages 20 and 15!

I am blessed that as a mom at 20, I too was provided with some amazingly staunch family and community supporters that created an atmosphere for me where I can say I was blessedly, never a single parent!

As I read of your vesting your son into the world… I am attempting to withhold the tears as I think of how my eldest sister and I did the same with my oldest daughter. We flew her down to Texas Southern imagining that with her history, knowledge, exposure and experience; she was ready to not only take on the world, but take her rightful place as change agent for the world!

Needless to say, it’s almost two years later and I’m praying for her to complete one successful semester at any college! Mysteriously so, my woman child has chosen to create a future slightly different than I ever would have believed possible for her, based upon her own drive and standards.

While it is often typical for young persons her age to divert, it is still painful and like those nights when survival was questionable; I submit her to the most High and rely always on Faith to keep her safe, renew her thirst for life and lead her to her calling!

I thank you for your poignant yet simplistic support of determination, hope and committment to your son. May he experience many blessings and achievements in his endeavors and may he shower the world with his love of family, life and continuum. Congratulations!!!!!!

Peace and Blessings and thanks for renewing my HOPE!!! I needed this…. Karen J., SE DC!