Surprise! 6 for 60

by Colton Bradford ; photography by Stevye Murray

When media darling Colton Bradford reached out to ACCESS to fulfill his mother’s 60th birthday dream, we were all in. This hometown sweetheart has long shared his absolute adoration for his mother, Cheryl Elkins, so it was an easy yes for us. But so much more than the requested party and photoshoot, Colton went to work pulling out the knowledge of what she’s learned from her 60 trips around the sun that surely benefit us all. And while it hasn’t always been easy, this one-time single mom opens up to her son about what really matters. As for her son who so brilliantly had the insight to inquire about her journey and vital life lessons? We’re so very glad he did.

Allow me to introduce myself: I’m Colton Bradford. I’m 28 years old and I was born and raised in Saraland, Alabama. I was raised by a single mom and a very tiny, tightknit family. At 21, my life and career moved me away from the small town that shaped who I was to one of the biggest cities in the country to shape the man that I’m becoming. For nearly the last seven years, I’ve called the great city of Boston, Massachusetts my “home.” I wake up every morning and rush to work inside a busy television studio to interview newsmakers, celebrities, and interesting people the world should know. If I’ve calculated correctly, I’ve done nearly 2,500 interviews over the last seven years, but none as interesting as this.

You see, this interview came to be when I was on the phone with my mom while driving home one night. I was fiddling with my car stereo, when I casually asked, “Hey, you’re turning 60 in a few months. What do you want?” She assuredly replied, “I want a J Lo-esque photoshoot, Colton. I want people to see a picture of me and say, ‘Holy Sh*t! She’s 60?!’” I sat quietly in the car listening to her in that moment knowing exactly what my next move was going to be. I was going to interview my mom and get her the photoshoot of her dreams.

1. ON THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS: They don’t nor will they ever define the woman I am. What de-fines you is your character... it’s how you treat people that don’t look, think, or feel like you. It’s how you speak to a stranger. It’s your heart and your heart’s intentions. I have lived a whole life and all that comes with it, mistakes and all. I call the biggest tribulations in my life “assignments for refinement.” If I’m going to be defined by anything it’ll be my grit, grace, and my pearls, not from anyone’s opinion of me.

2. ON YOUR BODY AND BODY IMAGE ISSUES: I have been overweight, and I have been underweight. I think nearly every woman struggles with image issues at some point. Here’s what I know for sure: your mind, body, and spirit are con-nected. They all work together. Be mindful of what you put into your body. I don’t just mean food. What you read, what you watch, and who or what you’re listening to has a direct corre-lation to your overall happiness and wellbeing. Take stock in everything. Stay active and remember time only moves in one direction: forward. Don’t fall into old habits that aren’t helping you to evolve into your best self.

3. ON TRUE FRIENDSHIP: True friends always have your back. They cheer you on when you’re at your highest, lift you up at your lowest, and maybe most importantly, defend you in your absence. Take notice when someone you treat as a friend is gossiping or speaking nega-tively about someone else. Ask yourself, “Can this person put themselves in someone else’s shoes?” If they’re quick to label someone else, always remember that labels belong on pack-ages, not people. All you need are a few tried-and-true friends. It is absolutely quality over quantity.

4. ON HANDLING TRAGEDY: I believe that we serve best in an area where we’ve experienced the most pain because we can understand and feel from ex-perience. After my mother suffered from Alzheimer’s, I began to get involved with charities that aligned with work to cure what I watched someone struggle to live with. It is healing to be in-volved. I believe that’s a part of our divine assignment — to do our part to fix what is broken. Look at the hand that you’ve been dealt and question how you can help someone else play the game with those cards. There is joy in healing.

5. ON FINDING TRUE LOVE LATER IN LIFE: Oh, this is easier said than done, but the truth is to let things flow naturally. When I was younger, I got caught up in the idea of the relationship rather than the reality of the relationship.When I was in my 20s I thought I needed to be married by a certain age. Ladies, don’t settle because this is what you think society thinks you should do. In my 30s I felt as though I needed to find some-one to help be a father to you. There were a few self-inflicted wounds, and I had to learn the hard way for that. By my 40s I’d really begun to know and love myself and I was okay being on my own. I knew I could do all of this on my own. At that point, I wasn’t caught up in fairytales anymore. That’s when true love found me because I was no longer looking for it. I know it sounds cliché, but it is the truth. It’ll find you. Be patient and continue to love yourself first. Be patient.

6. ON LIVING LIFE WITH OPTIMISM: Happiness isn’t just a mindset; it’s a choice. It’s a choice that you must make every single day and in every single situation. I medi-tate, I pray, I practice gratitude. You have to look for the good in the bad (and I don’t mean that casually). Sometimes you have to *really* dig down deep and look. You have to identify the gain in the pain. With time, I think the steadier you become, the wiser you become, and the more aligned you become. There is magic in listening to yourself and magic in knowing you are constantly evolving and healing from something. When you can see that, grasp it, and understand it... there is divine power in that.

This post has been modified for the web. Read the original article in full in the December 2021 issue of ACCESS Magazine.

Makeup: Lakin Landon Andrews, 251.281.3881 Shot on Location at Hope Farm, TheHopeFarm.com