Stranger 87/100 – Jessica
“Don’t give up on your children…”
Meet Jessica.
What advice would you give to your younger self? “Don’t try to grow up too fast… and listen to your mother. Because mommy is right! {laughs}”
And did you do that when you were younger? “No, I didn’t. I definitely should have took heed of some of the advice mom gave me.”
What would she have told you? “Don’t meet strangers online.”
But here is ok, right? “Yeah, here is fine! {laughs} She also told me to be guarded with your heart. I think I was too nice to a lot of people. I think that played a part. And always staying true to yourself… you don’t have to lose yourself meeting people.”
Your mom’s very wise… “Yes, she is. I should have remembered that when I was twelve.”
What is your biggest challenge right now? “Not taking everything personal. I take everything to heart.”
What’s the consequence of that? “I think it affects my relationships. I get upset then I shut down, and it makes it hard for me to communicate. So, I think it definitely impacts… it has impacted some of my relationships.”
What are your goals? Where do you want to be in ten years? “I will be 35. {laughs} So, I want to be married. I want to have two children. I want to adopt two children. I want to be a licensed social worker. I would love to mentor young girls with self-esteem issues. I wouldn’t even mind volunteering at a group home like for pregnant teens.”
If you could put a billboard up in Charlotte, what would it say? “Don’t give up on your children because it will impact them later on in life, and it will affect the relationships that they have and their outlook on life.”
How would your friends describe you? “Sarcastic, loud {laughs}, friendly… I have a hard exterior, but I’m very soft on the inside.”
Technical Notes: It was a bright day, but we were in the shade of a building. I used a small LED panel to light up Jessica’s face.
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