Among the many gifts I received from my mother, one of the most important has been the ability to believe: to believe in myself and to believe that good is always coming my way. She believed that I could be great, and as she shared that belief with me, I have come to believe it, too. I believed, and still believe, because my mother believed.

But what is this thing — belief — that has had such a profound effect on my life? It is something unlike wealth, possessions, and status. But neither is it like talent, skill, or intelligence. It’s more like sunglasses for the soul. It’s a way of seeing that is always slanted toward hope — like clairvoyance steeped in optimism. In our age of materialistic skepticism, this kind of belief is as rare as the woman who gave it to me.

Although I was born in Yendi, in northern Ghana, today I live in Tucson, Arizona. I am a businessman and a single father of three beautiful children. Currently, I am completing my dissertation for my Doctorate of Education in Teaching and Learning. I credit my mother with nearly all of my success. She has been a constant support through every season, even when I couldn’t see her holding me up.

Still today, at forty-five years old and half a world away, I can hear her steady voice in my head, reminding me of who I am, centering me like an anchor in the changing seas of life.