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In Her Own Words: Paige's Story
October 29, 2024
Paige took time out from her busy schedule to share about her experiences for "In Her Own Words," a recurring storytelling series for St. Ann's Center's Newsletter. We thank Paige for sharing her story! (Photo below courtesy of Paige).
Hello everyone. My name is Paige. I go by PJ sometimes. I am from Landover, Maryland, PG County. You have to say “PG County,” because when people hear Maryland, they think of Baltimore! I am 25 years old. I have a son who is a year old and will be two in December.
I was recommended to St. Ann’s by my step mother. I was living with her and my father at the time and they felt that another living situation would’ve been good for me and my son. My step mother actually volunteered here in the late ‘90s and early 2000s.
What brought me to St. Ann's was a mixture of things. When my grandmother died, I spiraled, and I went down the wrong path. I burnt a lot of bridges. I didn't think there was a life worth living without her [my grandmother], so I tried to destroy this one.
But God said “No” - and He gave me something worth living for. He gave me my son, Phoenix. I named him that because the Phoenix is always reborn – and that’s what I felt God was doing for me, and my grandmother as well.
My son and I moved in on January 25, 2024. The transition was hard for me at first. I moved from a house with a family to just a single room with only me and my son. But as time moved on, I knew this was the best place we could be.
One challenge I’ve overcome here is learning accountability. St. Ann’s put me in charge of my own bills, my son’s schedule, and other program requirements. Even though I was already a mother before I came here, this situation has really taught me how to parent on my own. I’ve learned accountability and I’ve done a lot of growing up.
One thing I'm really proud of was getting therapy. I’m proud that I had an open mind towards therapy, and that I went and I stuck to it, and I feel like I've gained emotional intelligence. My therapist Miss Tally was awesome.
I’m proud of where we are today. I now have my first “big girl” job working in an office setting, thanks to St. Ann's. My son is in speech therapy and behavioral therapy because he is on the spectrum. So yeah, those are big accomplishments.
Enjoying this story? Read More about the St. Ann's Center in our 2024 Fall Newsletter!
We are looking forward to Halloween and “Spooky Season.” I am looking forward to getting a car. And I am looking forward to leaving St. Ann’s on a great note, when the time is right.
My mother is my biggest inspiration. When I was 13, she suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke. She lives at a facility right nearby St. Ann’s. She’s been there for 11 years. I walk over and visit her. She's still fighting every day. She's completely incapacitated, so she cannot move anything but her eyes and mouth. But she's here. I love her to death.
My grandfather was also an inspiration to me, as a man and as a person. He took care of his whole family, he just put us all underneath his wing. He was a DC homicide detective.
What I’ve learned about myself at St. Ann’s is that I can be alone. The family I grew up in was close, really tight knit. Once my grandparents, the heads of our family, died – once that dynamic broke, I didn't think that I would be able to be alone. But now I know I can be by myself.
And I know I'm strong. People have told me that I'm strong because of the things that happened to my mom. Now, through situations I’ve put myself through, I know that I’m strong.
Through motherhood I’ve learned to be selfless and I’ve learned to be selfish. I've learned to be patient. I've learned to be impatient. I've learned right from wrong because it has a different meaning when you have another person that you are looking out for.
My advice to other women experiencing what I have: Help is coming. Help is coming, and it’s always going to be God. Maybe He can’t reach your hand, but you can always reach out to His. This might feel like the worst time in your life, so you can't remember the good times, but help is coming. It can never storm forever, I promise you.
My goal for the future is stability for me and my son. I would like to be stable mentally, financially, physically, and spiritually. I would like to know my place of where I am and be happy in that place. Stability is everything for me right now.
My hopes and dreams for us are health, wealth, and stability. I just hope we have a long, flourishing life that is wealthy, not just financially, but with love, knowledge, and health.
For any woman considering St. Ann’s – be open to the help that is available here. Appreciate the program and take everything it has to offer. Sometimes people aren't used to taking, having a handout. But you cannot get through this world alone. You need help.
St. Ann’s has career guidance, with Mr. Victor. There is financial guidance. There is therapy. There are weekly Life Skills classes. There are social workers who can help you get into school, or get into a job that you want. And oh my gosh, they have a daycare center. That is the best thing.
It’s an interactive and fun program, and you should be part of it.
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