I was flat ironing my curly hair. I was a tantrica, starved for touch. I was a mystical wanderer with a big mortgage and a bigger house. I was a free spirit with ankle weights, credit cards, china platters of cheetohs and ho-hos to dull the ache of living in the half-life. I was chasing windmills of love in locked up rooms without any wind. I was the heavy t-shirts and yoga pants from box stores I hid myself in, horrified by the silhouette of my own body. I was the shadow hiding beneath the brilliance of my soul. Then, the breaking. I split, I fell, I bruised, I bled, I excavated, I broke open, I grew. I discovered my wings and not only my wings but my tail, glimmering like a mermaid slicing through the furious ocean, the dragon serpent soaring with the wind. Now, I am in my warrior queen era with tight black bodysuits, lightning in my ears, sticks wrangling my wild curly hair. Now, my heart is a candle, a firework, a bonfire. Seen and loved, caressed and adored, lit up from inside out and the outside in. Now, my heart is my signature, tender, glowing, a fierce flame of love and creation. Now I love the flesh of this human woman body, the mountains and valleys, the curves and boulders, the creaks and crevices, the delights of the goddess. Now, I am in my medicine woman era, living with and talking to and making art with the spirits and the trees, mounting the spirit horse and taking the reins. I am squeezing that rich, powerful flesh between my thighs and digging her hide with my heels. Giddy up girl....now it's time to fly! (Written and shared in last night's True Story circle! What is YOUR then and now??)

Looking forward to Writing Fire with everyone! I am from Richmond, VA and write with Valley on Thursday mornings in the Writing Fire Group. It is a part of my life, and my writing life, that I love. I feel that this community will be another beautiful addition to keeping the fire of creativity and the joy friendships burning brightly. 🔥