Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Shaw.
Hi Cynthia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up, there were only two careers that I wanted to do an airline stewardess and a hairdresser. The proper term is a cosmetologist. One of my granddaughters told me because I don’t do nails, feet, makeup, etc. she said I was just a hairstylist. I didn’t choose stewardesses because back in the 70s they wanted them to be single so they would be free to travel.
I knew I wanted to get married so I chose the latter. I’ve been a hairstylist for 47 years now. Being a hairstylist I have had to not just fix their hair but also be a counselor, prayer partner, and marriage counselor. Being married to my husband for 42 1/2 years. I guess I could give good advice.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Like with every job, it has its struggles as well as ups and downs. My biggest struggle was finding the finances to get my salon. But God blessed me with a husband who not only financed my salon but also named it as well. He told me that he always heard my customers talk about how I shampooed and massaged their scalp so he named it A GODLY TOUCH. I gave up my Salon after 10 years to start working with a friend.
My husband and I were a great team he supported me as well as I supported him and everything that we did. For the last two years of his life, he suffered from colon cancer. Before he died unbeknownst to me he asked my brothers to convert our garage into a salon so that my oldest daughter and myself would have a place to work. He felt that by doing this we wouldn’t have to work for anyone else, but we would be our own boss. We no longer have to leave the house, but it would allow our customers to have a more private area where we could be more about ministry and being personable with them.
When my husband passed, my brothers fulfilled his wish. I am an author. I had been working on my book before my husband‘s passing. After his death, I finished my book. The title of my first book is A VICTIM or A VICTOR. I just completed, a story of the life and legacy of my husband and the book is called a Cancer Experience anthology. It will be released on March 25, 2024.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
In the beauty industry, my focus was making sure that my customers felt special. That they were well taken care of. Knowing that most of them were leaving work and coming to get their hair done I made the atmosphere relaxing so that when they came to me they could relax from their hard day at work. Now my passion has been writing.
The first book talks of my life. The struggles that I went through in life, and how I chose to allow God to do what he does best and that’s be head over my life. We go through life, trying to fix things on our own. We serve a God that is so much greater than we are. He gives us choices in life, and it’s up to us to choose if we will be a victim, for the rest of our lives, or if we will live as he said victorious. In my second writing, I talk about my husband‘s life and the legacy that he left.
When you’re going through in life and you have a partner that sticks by you no matter what,it’s easy to talk about them. I was married to my husband for 42 1/2 years. We went through many things in life but the one thing I can tell you is that, no matter what we went through. God was still in the mist.
Who else deserves credit for your story?
Yes, I’ve had a lot of people in my life that I can give credit to. You know they say when you start calling names you may miss someone. But my biggest cheerleaders and mentors were my husband, children, pastors, and friends. My husband and my children were always there for me, helping me and looking out for me. They also prayed for me.
When I felt as though I couldn’t make it, they were there backing me up. My pastors and my mentor were also praying for me and making sure that I knew That with God’s help, I would make it through. So many times in life you want to give up or feel like you can’t do it any longer. We’ve got to just trust the God that we serve to know that we will make it through.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Mommashaw2018
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthiagshaw?mibextid=2JQ9oc
