A Mother ’ s Love by
June Marie Smith Founder & CEO TAJJ Cosmetics
There are no manuals , books or classrooms to prepare you for being a mother . However , there are such things as basic principles . Being a mother is a special gift , an instinctive gift given and crafted by God . It ’ s something within each and every one of us , some choose to activate it , while others are not aware of the true blessings within . To sum it all up in one word it ’ s called LOVE . When you love your children , it teaches them how to love . It shapes them and cultivates their minds . I was blessed with three amazing young men , Andre , Jevar and Tyler . They are my most precious gift . They taught me how to love unconditionally , the true meaning of acceptance , how to give from the heart , to be honest and kind , and to be truthful , they taught me patience .
Growing up , the thought of having children was far from my mind . But that quickly changed when I had my first son Andre in 1990 , my life changed completely . His cries taught me how to understand the needs of others . I realized that each cry meant something different . When his diaper needed to be changed , when he needed to be held and fed , or when he needed to sleep or simply to be left alone . He taught me how to communicate effectively , my voice was not the only one needed to be heard , but I also needed to hear his . We established an open dialogue very early , it was the first step to understanding his feelings and for effective communication between us . My son taught me how to listen , he equipped me with what I needed to be a better mother to his two other siblings that followed six years later .
As a single mother , I quickly learned that I had to live my life with inclusion , to allow those around me to give advice and support . Having a very close knit family helped with the development of my sons . They taught them the things they needed to grow and mature into dignified young men , but my role as a mother had to be established , they needed to see me in them . I ensured that they never felt different , I sacrificed a lot in order to give them a much better life , better than the one I had growing up .
My sons are now young adult men . My oldest is now grown and living on his own , and I know for sure the other two will soon follow . My heart smiles when the car pulls up in the driveway and the doorbell rings and my oldest comes to visit . I still love the thought of them requesting their favorite meals , it ’ s the love you feel for your children and you simply want to make them happy . I wouldn ’ t change the course of my life for anything in the world . Loving my children taught them how to love and trust , the same that gave them the foundation they needed to grow emotionally . I have gotten so much from them , as much as they have received from me , my gift from them is so much Greater than I had given to them .
THRIVE MAGAZINE 13