I Am From

Today's been an emotionally draining day. It felt like it was one thing after another and I couldn't catch a break. How's that saying go? When it rains, it pours. Sounds about accurate for my day.

But it hasn't just been one day that's been tough. The last 70+ days have been an uphill battle, but I have the best people in my life helping me get through. Recently, a few people have come back into my life from my past and I couldn't be more thankful for these people. Y'all are truly a gift and I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me. You know who you are <3

I also wanted to take this time to thank someone super amazing in my life. She always gives me tough love and tells me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear. Today was especially tough to hear the things she had to say to me, but it was exactly what I needed to hear to get through the rest of the day. Tess, thank you for being such an incredible friend! <3

While today was quite tough in more ways than one, there was definitely a silver lining to it: I got to write during work today. I had to think back to my childhood and life, which was tough, but I was able to write a little bit so I'll take it.

The poem we had to write was called I Am From. We did this to show the student staff what they would be doing with their residents during their hall meetings. Here's what I came up with:

I am from quiet backroads off of busy streets, streetlights turning on and calling you home.

I am from quick dinners before practice and small gatherings for holidays.

I am from everything happens for a reason and this too shall pass. Things will get better, you just have to work hard for it.

I am from two parents who worked themselves exhausted, a mechanic who never had clean hands so we'd always have a roof over our heads and a mother who cared more for everyone else, giving what little she had to those who had nothing.

I am a bunch of broken pieces, strung together into a body that I've hated to call my own for so long. I am me because of everything that I've experienced, the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

It isn't much, but it's what I've got.

That's all folks.