A SUPER-BLESSED Mother’s Day to all mothers, including the foster moms. I was hoping to celebrate this year with my new book Motherhood–The Mountains and the Valleys. Sometimes we plan and God has other plans along the journey. This book will not only feature my experiences as a mother, but also my mom, daughter Marisca and sister Nicola. We have different circumstances with similar stories and can learn from each other. Maybe He wanted me to contribute only to the Love Mama anthology compiled by Monica Reed. It was an honour to contribute the foreword of this book that became #1 Bestseller on Amazon, not only in the U.S., but in other parts of the world. Please allow me to share with you on this precious day:
“My mother is a strong woman. Her strength comes from being tested by life’s unpredictability. It comes from soldiering on for her children, even when she might rather have given up. I know it hasn’t always come easily, but I also know it’s her greatest gift” Matt Lauer

When I read this Matt Lauer quote, it reminded me of my own mom, Claudia Noel John. I thank God constantly for her not only giving birth to me, but for moulding me into the woman I have become. Under very difficult circumstances, she kept the family together. My mom has a lot to be thankful for, being the product of my Grandma Winnie, who deposited great moral values into the lives of her six children.
It is with great pleasure that I make this contribution to the Love Mama Anthology, because I firmly believe in the strategic roles which mothers play in the shaping of families and in the building of communities.

The stories of these women are downright inspiring. I was touched in varying ways as I could relate to some elements of their journeys. As a mother, we want to be brave but often experience tragedies through our mothering, so much so that we begin to doubt ourselves. Sometimes our valley moments could outnumber the mountain top periods, but we still celebrate life, for it is in traversing these ups and downs that we experience real transformation. As mothers and grandmothers, we must develop courage, determination and incredible faith in order to succeed and go beyond merely surviving. As mothers, we should always aspire to leave a legacy. And that reminds me of one of my favourite habits from the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and that is, to begin with the end in mind. We constantly have to ask ourselves “What legacy do we want to pass on?” Cognisant of the time allotted to us, we must leave a trace that we existed meaningfully! We owe it not just to our children, but to society at large, to make purposeful contributions.

We should value all the moments of our journeys. For even the ephemeral moments can turn out to be the most precious ones 15 years down the line. I must commend Monica Reid for this great initiative. It indeed serves as a life-changing asset within the current uncertain times before us; I admire her passion for adding value to herself as well as to others.

Let’s intentionally commit, contribute and celebrate as we undergo the challenging realities of our life, but also to appreciate the evolution we encounter through this beautiful journey called life.”

Whatever you do today, make it memorable as, remember what the bible says, “honour your mother and father that your life will be long on the earth.” The scripter did not stipulate if they are good parents so no matter what, you need to. I am going to church with mom and will relax for the rest of the day celebrating Life Beyond The Runway.