Outside of family members, who inspires you the most?
Outside of family, while I admire others, I would like to think of myself as my own inspiration. I’ve had so many obstacles to overcome, including kidney failure. I believe that all that I have been through, including leaving my mother’s house at age 19, has made me strong. I have so many goals that are being worked on; I look at myself daily and reassure myself that I can do it.
How would your childhood friends describe you?
They would probably describe me as friendly; they’d definitely say that I was always smiling.
What is better about the world today than when you were growing up?
Internet speeds, lol. The struggles of trying to load of a video with dial up internet was so frustrating, lol.
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
The best gift I’ve ever received was an imperfectly shaped heart made of clay. My son made it at school and gave it to me last Mother’s Day, it is currently still decorating my living room.
If you could instantly have one new skill (i.e. foreign language, musical talent, public speaking, etc.), what would it be?
I would choose to be able to speak in a foreign language. Trinidad is becoming even more diverse and I’d love to be able to collaborate and communicate with different Nationalities.
When did you know you had found the one?
I knew I found the one even before we were a couple, when we were just friends. To me, that one will care about every aspect of you and vice versa. Physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally…we share the same goals and we work toward it together. There are times when I look at him and nothing that I feel could be put into words; that’s how I knew I found him.
When did you know you wanted to be a mom?
My pregnancy was actually unexpected but not unwelcomed. When I saw two strokes on the test, I got nervous; I was far from mentally prepared. Then I visited the doctor and from the second I heard my baby’s heartbeat, I knew, he was what I wanted.
What was the hardest thing about being a mother? The most rewarding?
The hardest was the first time he fell ill, he was just a baby and we had to go to the hospital. I was so scared that I was going to lose him, I just sat next to the bed he was laying in, held his hand and I cried uncontrollably…for a little flu, lolol. I still hate it when he gets ill or injures himself. Every time he picks a flower and gives to me or kisses my hand and tells me that I look beautiful, is by far the most rewarding.
If you could go back in time to any period in history, where would you go and why?
Any time in history…as basic as this may sound, I would like to relive my childhood. I want to go back to the Christmases when we were children, all living at home, painting and putting up curtains while smelling mummy’s baking and playing parang. I took those times for granted and would love to have it back.
What question would you ask your mother?
For most, being a mother is one of the most rewarding jobs any woman can have but it’s also one of the most sacrificial and demanding. Before the birth of my younger brother, my mother was a single parent who had little to no help; I would ask her how she did it? How did she manage to raise four upstanding females and later an ambitious, hardworking young man?
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