Some lessons don't resonate until the person who taught them is gone
About the Book
Some lessons are not understood in the moment.
They pass through us quietly, tucked inside ordinary days, waiting for the right time to reveal their meaning.
"Lessons from a Perfectly Imperfect Mother" is a deeply personal reflection on love, loss, and the unexpected wisdom left behind.
Through raw honesty and heartfelt storytelling, this book explores the moments that didn’t make sense then—but mean everything now.
“My momma taught me that it’s better to be real than to fake being perfect”
A Glimpse Inside
Some memories don’t just sit in your head; they live in your skin.
They aren’t the grand, sweeping dramas people expect to find in a life story. Instead, they are the strange, jagged moments that sneak up on you decades later while you’re doing something as mundane as folding laundry or waiting for a red light to turn green.
Suddenly, you aren’t an adult anymore.
You are right back in a childhood memory, the sensory details so strong it feels like a ghost that hasn’t crossed over—a ghost you’ve tried, but have been unable, to bury.
For me, that ghost always visits in April.
Every year when the calendar turns from March 31st to April, I find myself thinking about a day in 1992 when my mother decided to pull an April Fool’s joke that went so far past the line, the line packed its bags and left for good.
It was April 1, 1992.
I was sitting on the edge of my sheetless mattress, VCR remote in hand, watching “Remember the Time” for what felt like the millionth time. I had recorded over my grandma’s “Young and the Restless” tapes just to learn the dance breakdown, and in my mind, it was only a matter of time before Michael Jackson would need a little girl from Logan Elementary to step in and save his show.
Then my mom walked in.
She had a look on her face that did not belong in my bedroom.
“Sit down,” she said. “I need to tell you something important.”
The room suddenly felt smaller.
The music felt too loud.
My stomach dropped.
“I want you to be the first to know,” she said, reaching for my hands.
“I have AIDS.”
My whole body went cold.
And just like that…
everything changed.
About the Author
Welcome… you made it to the “About Me” section. I appreciate you sticking around and scrolling this far 🤍
I’ll be honest…this part is a little weird for me. Writing about myself has never been my favorite thing, mostly because I’m never quite sure what someone really wants to know. But since you’re here, I’ll share a little about me through the lens of this book.
If you’re still curious about who I am beyond these pages, you’ll get to know me more in my blog (coming soon), where I share a little more about Alana the person.
My words are shaped by love, loss, and the quiet lessons that reveal themselves over time. What once felt ordinary has become meaningful, and what once felt painful has become purposeful.
Lessons from a Perfectly Imperfect Mother is more than a book to me. It’s a tribute, a reflection, and a reminder that the people we love continue to teach us… even after they’re gone.
“If you’re here, this story might be for you.”
The Book
Lessons from a Perfectly Imperfect Mother
A deeply personal journey through love, loss, and the lessons that only reveal themselves with time.
This is a story for anyone who has ever looked back and finally understood what once felt unclear.