When I was 30, my mother died. I had a boyfriend who was not interested in marrying me. I found myself pregnant and alone at 31. My father was horrible, he and my baby's father called me constantly to urge me to give my child up for adoption. All I wanted was to be a mother. The only one who took me in and assisted me was my sister, a recovering heroin addict. I chose to live in poverty in a subsidized apartment and spent all my time raising my child. I didn't even have a car.
My son thrived and I realized he was very intelligent, even as an infant. I read to my son constantly, and let him take his time to learn about the world around him. Eventually, I had to get a job. I found a good child care center and enrolled him at age 2. Later, I purchased a cheap used car and played lots of wonderful children's music and we sang together. Every chance I got, I read to my son and taught him the sounds of the alphabet. At age 3, my son began to read. By age 4, he was writing three letter words! Fast forward into the future, my son is now 13 and I received an inheritance from a relative. My teenager is gifted, talented and excels in school. Best of all, he has confidence in himself and his abilities! I still spend most of my time with him and he never ceases to amaze me with his wonderful intelligence. Being his mother gave me a better life than I ever had without him and I am so grateful.
Submitted by Anonymous
We've all had people in our lives who have made a positive impact on us. A parent or grandparent, a sibling who was there for us, or maybe even just a guy who shines shoes for a living? Whoever they are, tell us their story so they can inspire us even more.
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