“But, in reality, love only emerges from living.”

But swimming, like loving, is not just about knowing.

It's about trusting the body more than the waves of the mind.

“I come from a lineage of Warrior Women”

“Come witness my journey / Be delighted in my self-respect”

“I was never broken, so there’s nothing to fix.“

“I’ve never really been able to define love or explain love or experience a love that didn’t hurt.”

A letter to grief

"but as my body grows, / so does my mind."

"and realize that i’m due for a change

which requires me to remain the same

just a bit more accepting

of the woman i ought to become"

"i value time off—and self-love

and what comes along with peace

such as breathing through the clear breeze

sometimes forgetting about my oxygen-thief"

"Surrender your heart to the pushes and pulls of life.”

"The mixture of light and darkness gives her silhouette an angelic appearance"

Sound — in verse awakening me to my potential…

An observation of faith and embodiment of my ancestors.

On the magic of loving yourself and your lineage.

"The mirror of truth, / the shame and pain of emptiness, / of lack, / of defeat."

An admiration of love and a manifestation of freedom…

“When the snow falls and the thunder rumbles, do you listen for the stories that they tell?”

This poem sends a message to not hide and to not fear loving or being who you are.

“So I decided to give my attitude a switch, / Look at myself every day and give that girl a kiss; / No more over-analyzing the tiny flawed bits, / I’m reminding myself that I’m still the shit!”