EMBRACING MOTHERHOOD: A GIFT AND A REWARD
Parents Corner Café was the venue for celebrating Motherhood and awarding eleven ladies the Mother of the Year Award. The award honors and recognizes them as caregivers who continually strive to improve the quality of life for their children and for those around them. Emotional support, compassion, and comfort are some of the traits that were recognized and promoted on May 9 in the Huey Community of Philadelphia. The event was hosted by Mama Gail, parents and teachers advocate, in cooperation with Mrs. Jizly Dohou, chairwoman of the Pennsylvania Chapter of WFWP.
The night was launched with a lavish dinner and celebration. Mr. Derrick Hardy, Principal of Huey Public School, gave an inspiring message. Each of the eleven awardees from the community got up and inspired the audience through their living testimonies that described their personal journeys through motherhood. According to all of them, it is a path of overcoming hardship and serves as a living legacy in their lives.
Although motherhood is not an easy path, it is a path that grows the heart and soul. According to one of our awardees, Mrs. Nicho'le Chennault, long-lasting patience, endless giving, and unconditional love for each child are gifts that come from being a mother and a parent. This memory lasts for a lifetime.
Nicho’le gave this reflection: “I became a mom at the advancing age of 32. I thought I couldn't or wouldn't have children because it took us so many years for me to conceive and to give birth to my first child. Six years later I am the mother of three with one on the way. I had two miscarriages, two preterm births and one child with a chromosome disorder.
“Each child and each pregnancy has taught me something different. I have gained strength that I never knew existed. I have learned to be a better person for my kids. I have become a better version of myself with each pregnancy. My children teach me how to live and how to strive for more in life. They make me want to achieve my dreams. I have wanted to be a public speaker for years and now I am doing that. This year I started my own personal development company. I speak to people about successful thinking and cultural esteem. I am living my passion and my children guide my desire to move forward.”
Hearing peoples’ experiences and testimonies created breakthroughs for many people in the audience, and unlocked practical and successful parenting skills that are building-blocks toward understanding the value of motherhood.
The warm embrace of motherhood was the most important element that was considered when deciding on the parenting skills that qualified these eleven mothers to be honored as the best mothers of the year. As we honored these community mothers in this way, it was a reminder to all of us that the mother’s internal responsibility is deeply engraved in the hearts of those courageous mothers. As a result, everyone at the ceremony pledged to embrace motherhood as a gift and as a challenging reward. Not only we here in Philadelphia, but people in every corner of the world, need one additional essential element for peace to flourish in all aspects of society: the warm embrace of the mother’s heart.
