For most women, two lines on a pregnancy test confirming one is with child, will undoubtedly send you into a tailspin of emotions. From shock to excitement, from anxiety to sheer fear about one’s readiness, the thought of growing a whole human being inside your body for nine months, to becoming that little person’s source of love and care for the rest of their lives, can be nothing short of overwhelming. These things rang true for dancer/businesswoman, Keiva Di Diva.

It was the year 2009 and the entertainer’s career as she put it, was ‘blazing’. Then as ‘destiny’ would have it, the then 29-year-old found out that she was with child. For her, uncertainty set in right there and then. Keiva told the OBSERVER ONLINE that although she was a grown woman who waited longer than most to start her journey to motherhood, she was utterly terrified at the thought of becoming a mother. The idea became even more overwhelming as she tried to process what her family would think.

According to her, although she was in the dancehall world, she grew up with strict parents with morals that would make her pregnancy seem less than ideal.

“When I found out I was pregnant with Destiny, I was scared. I wasn’t ready to be a mother. I didn’t think I was able to be that woman. I didn’t believe I could be a good mother because having children was never in my intentions,” she said.

“I was in my late 20s and very scared to tell my parents. I was a grown woman but I was still afraid because my parents are no joke parents, especially my father. The way dem grow me, the morals I grew up with, I just didn’t know how to tell them. And my older sister, she didn’t have any children so as the younger one getting pregnant first, I just felt scared.”

But all her fears and anxiety were put to rest when she finally shared the news with her family.

Keiva shared that as soon as she had a heart-to-heart with her parents and older sister and felt their full support, she immediately fell in love with the idea of becoming a mother.

“As soon as I told my parents and my sister and I saw that they were not mad and that they supported me 100 per cent ­— they were even excited — it’s like a burden off my shoulders. I found the energy, the love, the strength to go the journey. Every feeling of fear left my body and I was so happy.”

Keiva, whose daughter Destiny Chung is now a budding gymnast, expressed that she has no regrets about her decision. In fact, the entertainer says she cannot imagine life without her Destiny. Fighting back tears, Keiva noted that while she had to sacrifice her career as a dancer to be a full-time mother, she would without question, do it all over again.

“Once I felt my baby moving inside me, I knew I was going to go 100 for that child. Once she was born, I knew this was it. This was my person, the person I would love unconditionally until the end of me,” she said.

Still, in the early stages of her daughter’s life, Keiva revealed that it was her mother and elder sister who took on the role of ‘mother’ to her daughter. She explained that although her mother supported her, she felt like she wasn’t fully ready to take on all it meant to be a new mother.

Keiva said her daughter spent the first few months of her life overseas while she continued her career as a dancer.

But she quickly admitted that nothing was ever the same.

“My mom never wanted my career to stop, she never wanted me to have regrets and she somehow felt like I wasn’t ready to be a mother fully. So she had Destiny. But lemme tell you, when she had her and whenever she would call and say Destiny was doing something new and I realised I was missing out on it, that was the worst feeling in the world,” she said.

“I knew I didn’t want to miss out on anything. It made me feel empty inside and so I decided that was it. I gave up dancing and I decided I wanted to be a full-time mother.”

Keiva revealed that she gave away everything that could potentially lure her back into the dancehall space as she was now fully committed to this new phase of her life. Today, as she shows off the achievements of her future Olympic gymnast, Keiva says she feels fulfilled.

“Destiny is my heartbeat. She is smart, talented, and gifted. She amazes me everyday with the things that she does. It’s the best feeling in the world watching her grow from strength to strength. I had already planned to sacrifice everything I had including my career because that little girl was all that mattered to me and I will say, she has made me so proud,” she said. “From she was a baby, I could see her talent. She would climb up on anything she could no matter how high it was. And even when she got hurt, it didn’t stop her. I accepted from that moment that this child was special. When she told me she wanted to do gymnastics, I supported her. I supported her fully and left her to climb her way to glory. She has yet to let me down.”

“I am a very changed woman with Destiny and I would do it all over again. As a mother, all I want for Destiny now is for her to be happy. I am looking forward to her getting to the Olympics but if she chose a different path, as long as she’s happy, I’m happy.”