Growing up I constantly heard “you will never be anything in life” I felt defeated, and I wondered why I was even born because every life has a purpose and hearing this constantly, especially from my mother made the pain worst! I felt like God made a mistake when He knitted me in her womb.
But I know the God I serve doesn’t make mistakes; therefore, my life serves a purpose. And that purpose is for me to discover and so I set out to do so.
As a child, I attended a radio programme called Children’s Party and I would bellow out my recitations across the airwaves of Voice of Barbados and Aunty Olga would reward me with hugs and sweets. I felt like my life mattered when I stood before the mic and my voice was heard across the radio, this continued into my teenage years when she and her team would visit my church to do recordings.
I loved sharing those lengthy poems and I knew my voice mattered, even though I was told by my mother many times to shut my “damn mouth” whenever I wanted to express my feelings.
Today, my written and spoken voice can be heard across the across the world as I share my message of hope and self-worth with women across the globe. I have become that lady that people want to hear as I take a stance against abuse of all forms. I am somebody!
Written by Sharon Douglin
Barbados