A Tale of two Moms
Dr. Scharmaine Lawson DNP, FNP, PMHNP, FAANP, FAAN, LT (Ret. Navy)
Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker, Veteran
“She’s so beautiful. I just can’t give her away, not right now.”
The tearful young mother just shy of a tender 19-years-old would say. As she struggled with giving her new baby up for adoption, deep inside, she knew the baby would be safe with her paternal grandmother. The tension grew worse because the baby’s father was recently incarcerated without bail, and his mother was now her only hope. Her heart raced. She was running out of time and money.
After six long months of sleepless nights, sometimes praying, and mostly crying, she packed up sweet baby Scharmaine’s favorite snuggly, a few diapers, and one bottle. That morning, she drove to the steps of a nearby Seventh-Day-Adventist church and gently placed her in the loving arms of a church usher. “Make sure you give her to Ms. Aleta right away. She just ate. So, she should sleep for another few hours,” she said.
Listen. I’ve played this story over and over in my head now for a few decades. I’ve finally made peace with both Moms. I’ve just recently realized that my birth mom loved me enough to make sure that I was cared for by the best grandma she could find. She gave me life and then handed me off to someone who could now mold my life. This was the role of my paternal grandmother. Even though my paternal grandmother was the daughter of a slave and only finished the 9th grade herself, she molded my life into the person I am today.
This Mother’s Day, I salute my birth Mom for giving me life. I truly hope that she can forgive herself and have peace in her soul. She really made the best choice for me. Her very act of giving me to a loving grandmother was lifesaving.
Last, I cherish and miss my granny so much and am so thankful for her fervent prayers. I may have been born in a cab and raised in the projects, but I was molded on wisdom, faith, and the love of God. This tale of two moms is my “why.”
It’s why I hustle hard.
It’s why I grind daily.
It’s because I intimately know and remember the sacrifice paid to give me a better life.
Find your why.
Embrace your why.
Let it fuel you.
Happy Mother's Day
Beautiful and poignant story that celebrates adoption and the challenges of motherhood. I am SDA and didn’t know you were raised in the faith! God bless you!