Living a Life of Purpose
“ Everything worthwhile is uphill .” -
These were Erica ’ s final words as we ended our interview on a warm Monday evening . It was one of those interviews where I felt a warm sensation of fulfillment in my soul . A lot of what Erica said resonated with me at my core .
She ’ s been a full-time entrepreneur since 2018 and became a parent at 17-years-old . When I say she ’ s been through it , I mean she has really been through it . Yet , she keeps pressing forward because she knows that uphill battles are a big part of receiving life ’ s blessings .
I ’ ve pulled some great tidbits from our conversation and included them in this article . You ’ ll learn about Erica ’ s :
Background
John C . Maxwell
Journey as an Entrepreneur Marketing and Leadership Tips
From Pit Latrines to High Rise Offices
Erica grew up in Linstead with five siblings and a single mother . Education was always a priority in their home but her mom was poor . Her mom had to depend on the support of others to put Erica and her siblings through school .
Issue 9 : June 2021
Growing up was hard . Erica would walk for over an hour from her home to school first at Grateful Hill Primary in Glengoffe , St . Catherine when she was a young child , and then at Oberlin High when she was a teenager . They didn ’ t have electricity when she attended Grateful Hill Primary and she lived in a home where there were only pit latrines .
I could hear Erica ’ s voice choking up as she explained an incident that caused a rift between her and her mother . The Caribbean Secondary Examinations Certificate ( CSEC ) exams were upon her and it was time to get some serious studying done so that she could succeed . In an episode of frustration , Erica ’ s mother damaged all of the textbooks necessary for Erica to prepare .
Erica was livid ! This was a pivotal point in her life where her future depended on her exam results . It was an experience that resulted in Erica becoming a book hoarder . The process of forgiving her mom and repairing their relationship took several years .
Many factors contributed to her mom ’ s frustration but chief among them was Erica ’ s pregnancy . Erica was 17 and pregnant , a fate she fell into when she ran into the arms of the wrong person . She felt her mother never understood the struggles of the long walks to and from school and how those walks contributed to her getting home late in the evenings . Her mother always accused her of fraternizing with boys when she wasn ’ t .
Christine McLean
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