For the woman reading this who is scared, alone, and unexpectedly pregnant, I was in your shoes not too long ago. Those two pink lines changed the course of my life forever – but in the best possible way because I found a village that saved both me and my son.
Soon after I learned I was expecting, I learned the father wasn’t going to be a source of support and quickly felt as though my world was crashing down around me.
I was overcome with feelings of shame, apprehension, and doubt. I began to question my own self-worth, as both a woman and a mother.
Those feelings soon got the best of me, and I felt as though I was not strong enough to be a mother. I scheduled four different abortion appointments, but each time I was unable to follow through with the procedure. I had the money, and I had the time. But something stopped me every time I headed toward the clinic. On the last visit, I looked up ‘pregnancy help near me’ and First Coast Women’s Center immediately popped up.
Instead of going to the clinic, I went to First Coast and instantly the trajectory of my life was changed for the better.
I was three months pregnant when I walked through the doors of First Coast and met LaRonda, the center director. She gave me the space to talk through my situation and make a decision. At the time, I didn’t have anyone close by to rely on as all my family was spread out across the country. LaRonda gave me her personal phone number and told me that I had support outside of business hours, no matter what I needed.
I returned to the center a few days later and told her that I would be keeping my child but would need the support and resources to do so.
I was enrolled in one-on-one sessions with LaRonda where I would come back each week to discuss my worries and concerns, while learning everything I needed to know as a first-time mother. I learned about breastfeeding, first aid, and how my body would change among many other things. It was not just that the center was excited for me to be a mother, but they wanted me to be confident and prepared to be the best person I could be.
The women at the center, including LaRonda, were mothers themselves, with their own struggles and journeys. It was crucial for me to see that their pasts did not define them, and that they were still able to have happiness and success with their children by their sides. Not only did I feel wanted and safe there, but I also felt confident. I found strength and worth within the walls of First Coast.
They were for me every step of the way and helped me to choose life for my beautiful son. More importantly, they helped me to choose life for myself. For so long, I had felt unworthy and alone in the world. I felt as though I was not deserving of good things, like love, happiness, and success. But First Coast helped me to see that I deserve all of that and then some.
The entire trajectory of my life changed the day I walked into First Coast, and I am so grateful that it did. They saved my baby, and they saved me.
I have both my child and my dreams in my hands. I work as an eighth-grade teacher and was selected as teacher of the year for all my hard work, dedication, and work helping kids succeed in the classroom. I have my own house where I am raising my beautiful son who is now two.
My son is the happiest little boy you ever met. He loves playing with cars and blocks, has already learned his ABCs and has just moved up to the advanced preschool class. He is the best thing that ever happened to me.
Life is not perfect, and raising a child as a single mother certainly has challenges, but I am more blessed than I ever thought possible. I have a beautiful son to share my life with, and I have a village to support me. The women I met through First Coast are still my friends, still offer support when we need it and are still helping me heal.
To the woman reading this, no matter your circumstance or your past, you are worthy of love and success. You can have your dreams and have your baby too. You are not alone, and there is a village waiting to take in both you and your child.
Miranda Osuji is from Jacksonville, FL.
