Many cliches have become cliches because they’re uncannily true, and one of those cliches is, “There is purpose in your pain.” It’s not some empty, abstract statement designed to console someone who’s grieving. When we truly understand what this means, that purpose shows up in concrete ways, often changing the lives of other people in the process. This is what Paula Foster’s journey has been. She lost her father at a young age, and that pivotal moment shaped the woman she would become in her adult years. Paula holds a lot of titles, but all those simply point to the fact that everywhere she goes, she touches lives in a transformative way. Join this episode as she shares her story and all the wonderful lessons that come with it. — Watch the episode here Listen to podcast here A Grieving Daughter’s Journey From Pain To Purpose With Paula Foster Paula, welcome to the widowhood. How are you doing?  I am doing well. When you heard widowhood and welcome, what came to your mind when you were hearing those words? Typically, when you hear widowhood, you think about people who have lost a spouse. It was initially that’s the platform for those who have lost spouses, but it’s not always. It is not. Thank you. I want to explain the name of it, and I’ve thought about whether I should change it or not, but the legal aspect of where I’m at. I am from Chicago. Hood is community. Hood is family. Hood is my network. I am the widow who lost her husband. Part of that hood is my children who lost a dad. That hood is my siblings who knew my husband for their entire life. They lost what was like an uncle or brother. My friends who we had been couple friends with for years lost their friend as I lost my husband. No one ever tried to make their grief of Mark bigger than me losing my husband, but it was a loss across our community. That conversation is held from different angles, whether it’s a conversation I’m having with someone who has lost a parent, someone who has lost a sibling, or someone who has lost a child. It’s not just the spouse. Everyone that was connected to that person that is no longer here is part of that hood. I happen to have the pleasure to be in from the widow’s perspective, but the voice from every angle is necessary. Maybe sometimes people were not married or they didn’t have a significant other. If every angle of that person is not viewed, we never see the totality of them. I had a recording where my son spoke about his dad. It was a different version from me. In November 2024, I hope to have a conversation with my daughter talking about the loss of her dad from a different angle. It is the widow and the hood coming together. It’s that community. I like that. I’m going to read your bio before we get into this conversation. Paula Foster is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. As rare as it is to find a Georgia peach, she is also a rare jewel. It’s because of the struggle she faced growing up that she truly feels it has pushed her into the person she is now. Who is that person, you ask? Paula is a mother of three children, a licensed pastor, a domestic violence survivor and advocate, a realtor, an author, a publisher, a life coach who has a Life Coach Certification Academy, a mentor, a speaker, and an event host. She is the Founder of Fostering Destiny Enterprises, which encompasses the many businesses and organizations Paula manages. Paula has spoken and/or hosted many events and has received testimonies of how she helped change the lives of others. She speaks on her past while encouraging others to not allow their past to determine their present future. Paul is the author of the I AM: 30 Affirmations to Reaffirm Your TRUE SELF!, Finish Strong: 7 Keys to Fulfilling Your Purpose, Becoming the Author Within, and co-author of I AM: Mother’s Edition. She is scheduled to release more in the coming months. Paula enjoys reading, bowling, skating, relaxing, volunteering, and going to concerts. She also enjoys listening to music and spending much-needed time with her family. Life may have dealt her some unfortunate cards but she has learned to play with what she has been dealt. She is a virtuous woman. I don’t have time to rest. I make time. I’m glad to hear that. Rarely, but I do. When you hear someone reading that, how does that feel?  I feel like I am that person, a well-accomplished individual. A lot of times, you don’t realize all the different hats that you wear. While you may not wear them at the same time, you’re still doing all of those things. It also makes me remember things that I need to probably kick back into gear because some things did fall by the wayside because of different occurrences in life. It serves two purposes. It helps me to see that I’m not as far away from what I thought I was far away from. At the same time, it helps me see the gaps that need to be filled. Thank you. When you heard me explain widowhood, that gave you a different perspective about the person we’re going to speak about, which is your dad. It is unfortunately aligned with the same things with my children. They speak about their dad and that loss. What is your memory of your dad? I have to be honest and say the most memorable thing about my dad was that my dad made me feel like a princess even in the short time that I had him. With him, I could do anything and there was nothing that you could tell anybody any differently. Even though I lost him at an