Spoken words have never been my forte so even as a very young girl, I chose the written word instead of verbal to express my feelings. I turned to paper when I needed to figure things out, express my losses, joys, and fears. It was easier for me to write it all down and then close the book than it was to talk about it. As I continued to add to my written words I would go back and reread my thoughts. Some of them, years later, still spoke to me, helped me understand current circumstances, or just made me laugh. Some of the words were no longer relevant as I had matured or grew emotionally. However, they were still a part of me, at least during some time of my life - those words were me. I rarely allowed anyone to read what I had written and would only show someone if I had written them as s gift or a thank you - for example, Constellation was written for my best friend in High School; Patience was written for my Daddy on my wedding day, etc. I am still nervous about showing my work to other people, but I have found solace in what I have written for myself and hope that my words will help someone realize their potential, that they are not alone, and that they are more powerful than they give themselves credit.