Business Fit Magazine Special Editions Mother & Daughter Special Edition | Page 22

and it was pure synchronicity. Raylene amazes
me everyday and gives me the drive to love and
embrace life.
Tell us about your relationship
with Raylene?
When I work with youth or Raylene is helping her
friends in a hard situation we tell them our story
that at times we weren’t sure we were going to
make it. But we did, and we did it with our love for
each other and the belief in ourselves.
I was 19 when I found out I was pregnant with Ray
and scared to death. Coming from a damaged
home and having had reproductive problems all
my life I never thought I would have children. Her
dad was definitely not the man I was spending
my life with, and to be honest I had no plan on
what life was at that age. I was angry, drunk, and
lost at 19. But, I arrived at the school where my
mother taught to tell her I was 9 weeks pregnant.
I figured she couldn't be too upset with me while
at work, told her the news and we got through
it. I promised myself that day no matter what, I
would always be there for Ray and love her the
best I could. What is your message to
other mothers with teenage
daughters?
Raylene and I have grown up together. We have
been homeless, I was abused, and there were
nights we were scared, but we made it out
together. Never once did Ray doubt me or not
want to be around me. Someone special to me
once said “Ray wasn’t born for herself, she was
born for you.” This resonated with me because
Raylene has always had this sense of knowing
the “old soul” as some would say. Through all the
abuse and hard times, we have been through
she always kept her light and her smile. She
encourages me to be a better person every day.
Raylene trusts me and my word is respected
and heard. That has always given me a sense of
worth and drive to always push to be better for
her and myself. Her individuality awes me every
day, she is so strong in herself, she doesn’t need
the approval of anyone, has that raw beauty that
even I inspire to have one day. She is my right-
hand man and my inspiration. Raylene is seriously the greatest person I have
ever met! I admire her individuality and her
strength to always find the light. Raylene has
absolutely no fear in what this world has to
offer and knows she is going to conquer it.
She has always pushed herself to her best and
brought smiles and joy to so many people in our
community. Raylene is perfect in all her ways -
curly messy hair and unmatching socks! I just
love her.
I try my best to fill her full of compliments and
daily aspirations. Remind her that she is the
greatest person alive and can do anything she
tries. She definitely has taken me up on that.
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Never take her voice. Let her have feelings, be
angry, be in love, and be a little weird. Listen
to her needs and aspirations and never forget
to remind her “SHE IS THE GREATEST PERSON
ALIVE!”
And daughters, know that your mom is trying
and even in the darkest of times you can be her
light! Believe in magic.
What would you like to say about
Raylene?
I admire her
individuality and
her strength to
always find the
light
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