Inspired by A Mother’s Love
Thank You Mom for Always Believing In Me
“My Trice sure can tell a story,” my mother would enthusiastically announce with a kind smile, her eyes tap dancing, as if she held a secret that she couldn’t wait to share with the world. As an author, I would love to tell you that this phrase was created because of my incredible skillset, but I must be honest. My mother usually made this comment after being updated by yours truly on happenings in our home while she was away. Let me explain.
Dollie Norine Childs, managed the ebbs and flows of raising eight children with ease, but on the rare occasion when she asked, “What really happened while I was away?” your girl was ready to spill it! And mom knew she could always count on her Trice, to give a dramatic, elaborate, colorful, detailed, and accurate (in my mind) rendition of what occurred. You can imagine that my siblings did not quite share my mother’s appreciation for what she considered to be my profound ability to turn an everyday scenario into one of complexity and intrigue. I recall the term tattletale being tossed around at some point, but no matter what others may have called it, my mother saw something unique in me. She referred to it as my God given gift and despite how it started, she nurtured that gift with every ounce of her being. A mother’s love can be demonstrated in so many ways, for me, that love came in the form of inspiration from a softly spoken phrase that paved the way for me to follow my dreams.
From serving as News Director at WOCR for Olivet College, to working at WDIV-TV 4 in Detroit and later serving as VP of Marketing for a local nonprofit where I creatively told stories of clients who overcame poverty to raise funds, I never lost sight of where it all began. My mother had the ability to pour love into my soul, stretching my imagination while inspiring me to become the best that I could be. Today, I am proudly known by friends and colleagues as “The Word Wizard.” In March 2020, I accomplished one of my greatest dreams, writing my first book, We Can No Longer Be Friends Because of the Color of My Skin. In December 2020, I added international author to my profile with Faith the Baby Seed and the Field of Dandelions published by Christian Faith Publishing; accomplishments I long to physically share with my mom.
In 2014, God’s angels arrived at our family home on Snowden in Detroit and guided mom home. During one of our last conversations, she informed me that she wanted me to design and write her program for her homegoing service. She also wanted me to speak. I crumbled at the thought, but she looked at me and said, “You have been telling stories your whole life and now it’s time to tell my story.” In true Dollie style, it wasn’t a question. I honored her request and I believe it was my greatest work to date. For you see, the story of her journey required no alterations to the plot, for she lived a faith filled life led by God. The setting was one of simplistic elegance, a characteristic that defined who she was. There was no conflict that needed to be toned down or altered to reveal a different outcome, leaving no need for resolution. Her theme was God first, family and love. The moral of her story, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Her perspective was built on the Word that she shared freely with others. The conclusion, peace be still, a phrase she shared often.
In her final days, when asked what she wanted people to remember about her, she said, “There’s very little to know about me. What I want people to remember is that I loved EVERYBODY………..E V E R Y B O D Y! I just loved people. That’s just who I am. Nothing could stop my love.” We shared a smile and she continued, “This is my story…... this is my song…... I’m praising my Savior, all the day long! You got all that?” I nodded yes. She concluded, “Okay then, chapter closed.”
While Dollie Norine Child’s physical chapter may have closed, the lessons she instilled in me will remain forever, the greatest being, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
Upon receiving copies of my books for the first time, I felt her presence stronger than ever. Looking to heaven, I said, “I did it, mom. I finally wrote not one, but two books.” And as I closed my eyes, I could hear her whisper, “Yes, you did it. My Trice sure can tell a story,” to which I replied, “Yes Mom, your Trice can tell a story because you never stopped believing that I could.”