PURPOSE...IN TEENAGE PREGNANCY?!

Updated: Mar 4, 2019

They said she was worthless, they said she wouldn’t come out to anything, they said she would be like a rabbit and keep “breeding” and they said DON’T SEND HER BACK TO SCHOOL.

Some piercing, traumatic and destructive words released over my mother’s life upon getting pregnant at the age of 17. Many were disappointed, as she was a model student who was on a trajectory to “go places”. She went out, tested the waters and got caught which resulted in a son being birthed on July 1st 1993.

I can only imagine how testing and emotionally breaking the experience of DISAPPOINTMENT was for her. The reality of you parents toiling to fund your education and "you've blown it" must have seeped deeply into her consciousness. Thinking further, family members were in total discontent; her immediate support system amplifying stereotypical the guilt and shame of being a pregnant teenager.

In 2019, this is still a controversial topic and one that is filled with many misrepresented information and points of view. Being a child of a teenage mother it is imperative for me to shed some light from the inside out.

Firstly, Teenage Pregnancy may be premature but it can be predestined, if a teenager honestly falls prey despite the many warnings they are still viable for mercy, love, forgiveness and complete parental support. My grandmother gave full support regardless of the heavy opposition and criticism my mother received. She did not give up on her child and did not write her off as a failed project.

She embraced, funded and was pivotal in her teenage daughter’s rebound.

It might be controversial to say but for my personal experience

“Teenage Pregnancy” was divinely aligned and was absolutely NOT A MISTAKE.

Throughout my life I have contemplated:

· Am I a mistake?

· What if I was aborted?

I did not get a cookie cutter, fairy tale Mother son relationship but, I got the best my mother could and that best has made me eternally grateful regardless of the kinks and flaws.

FROM PREGNANCY TO PURPOSE

The same pregnant teenager was sent back to school a year after giving birth and was determined and well supported to complete her CXC exams.

Guess what, the pregnant teenager:

Attained CXC passes with distinctions.
Enrolled into Bethlehem Teacher’s College.
Completed a Diploma in Teaching.
Completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Guidance Counselling.
Enrolled in the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
Achieved top performer status upon completing JCF training and more!

The rejection propelled her to pursue her goals with a voracity she never had before and resulted in achieving great success despite the odds. In addition, she birthed a purposeful young lad like me who has been graced to positively impact people in varying ways through gifts and talents like I’m doing right now.

In concluding,I will not endorse purposely engaging in sexual intercourse as a teenager, with the intent of getting pregnant. Nevertheless, the reality is many people are still not using condoms, so many excited teens will become parents even when it wasn't their plan. Regardless, no matter how bad the decision or how wrong the turn, every child deserves a second chance and Teenage Pregnancy is no reason to GIVE UP on anyone, especially the mother who is normally ostracized or demonized for their mishaps.

I ensured to ask my Mom to read this and endorse it, she responded by saying.