Beyond Beauty: Tersean Chin

Natalia Oh, Contributor

Tersean Chin, Terry to her friends, is the owner and chief hairstylist at The Hair Zone in Caledonia Mall, Mandeville. She grew up in Spur Tree district in Manchester and is the eldest of three children born to teenaged parents Viviah and Verley Phillips.

Chin reminisces that, though both her parents lived together, it was still a broken home. There was constant arguing and physical abuse. She tells Outlook, "My parents tried their best with us, as best as they knew how, because they, too, were young and just growing up." Though Chin and her siblings went to school, they did so merely out of habit, with no real guidance and teaching about the importance of education. There was no real bond between parents and children. Back then, children were to be seen and not heard, and this caused very little interaction.

And like her parents, while still in school, at age 16, Chin herself became pregnant with her first son. She told Outlook she felt confused and panicked. She repeatedly asked herself, "What am I going to do?" She knew she was not going to terminate the pregnancy because of her spiritual beliefs, and she held firm to that.

child's Father left

The father of the child was also a teenager, and though supportive at first, he decided it was too much for him and decided to leave Chin to raise their son alone. Chin was in the fortunate position of having complete support from her parents. After the passing of her father, she left school and decided to work as a cashier to help support the entire family.

A few years later, Chin was in a new relationship and had her second son. The father of her second son was very supportive to both boys, and for a short time, they lived together as a family. But the arguing and cheating brought back memories of her youth - living in a house of turmoil.

At this point, Chin was not sure what she wanted. However, she was very clear on what she did not want - to live in turmoil. After much deliberation, she made the decision to take both boys and move back home to live with her mother. While there, she looked introspectively and embarked upon a soul-searching mission to seek balance and find peace. With this new mindset, she was determined to break the generational bondage of families living in chaos, but more so, she was determined to make a stable home for her sons, with or without a man.

After the stability of being an independent single mother and living a happy life full of peace and joy, she was surprised how casually and unexpectedly she met the man who was to be her husband. While working as a cashier at Juicy Patties, Chin met her husband, Earl. He was a customer, and Chin's co-worker suggested that they would be a good fit.

She tells Outlook, "I was very scared of starting a new relationship because of what happened to me in the past, but Bobby's personality pulled me in." She remembers going on early dinner dates with him and he would order dinner for her to take home for her sons. It was clear to her that he cared very much for the boys whom he had not yet met.

After eight years together, their relationship was blessed with their first daughter and then a second. "Marriage was a scary thing for me. There were no immediate family members who showed me that marriage was a good thing. So, although we were happy together, we held off getting married."

Today, though they have been married for eight years, they have been together for almost 17 as a blended family. They credit the success of their relationship to the fact that they both want their marriage to work and have made the commitment that, no matter what challenges come - and they do, the commitment to the children and each other would always be paramount.

Today, Chin's four children have a bond with both parents in a happy home, filled with security, love and support. "I have ingrained in my children the importance of having a clear vision of what they want and to staying focused on it. I have stressed the importance of a good education and my husband and I have made many sacrifices to ensure they achieve that. Both my sons are currently at university, and my daughters are doing extremely well, one is in high school and the other is just completing the GSAT. Not having a close relationship with my parents has made me go above and beyond to make sure my children know that they can come and talk to me about anything. Today, we are best friends and we spend all our time together."

Chin sees her story as a testament to others. "I am never ashamed of my story. I have overcome a lot and, if I could do it, so can others who face similar situations. I am proof that teenage pregnancy does not have to ruin your life. When we learn to break generational bondage in our lives, we can overcome a lot."

How do you spend your weekends?

I work Saturdays in my salon, and, on Sundays, my family spends all day together - cooking and enjoying each other's company.

What is you favourite vacation spot in Jamaica?

Hedonism, Negril. My husband and I started going there during our courtship and we have maintained it over the years as a means of keeping our marriage exciting.

What is your dream international vacation spot?

I would love to visit Italy. It seems so romantic with the vineyards, the narrow streets, brick walls and old buildings, which all conjure up feelings of togetherness and warmth.

Who is your favourite author?

Joyce Meyer is one of my favourite authors. I also love the book Conversations with God, by Neale Donald Walsch.

What is the best advice that you've ever received?

Know who you are. Spend the time to learn who you are and then love yourself. My very good friend Sharon Clarke gave me that advice.

What is the charity that you are most passionate about?

The Women's Centre of Jamaica - which offers vocational skills training and counselling for teenage mothers up to the age of 17.

Clothing provided by:

Fashion Statement Boutique

Shop 25 Midway Mall

17 Caledonia Road, Mandeville

625-9688