Breathing on My Own!!!!!!!!!

Long before I could breathe on my own was my breakthrough poem. It was written at a time in my life where nothing made sense and my writing suffered since I was attempting to avoid "real" expression. I didn't want to share my pain or vulnerability. It was inevitable; I wrote the poem, performed it and recorded it! Family, it was a wonderful release. Below is an excerpt from a blog I had written some time ago. The poem, Long Before I could breathe on my own, is also posted. Be blessed. Be encouraged.

[03-16-2008]Speaking on my relationship with my mother and my confusing past wasn't an easy thing to do, especially not for critical ears. I did it anyway, I did it for me; I needed to heal! My poetry is my therapy and I had to get those feelings out and I needed other people to know what those feelings were. After I wrote the poem, recorded it and spit it at a venue or two, I felt free of the pain that caused me to write it in the first place... Yesterday, I had an impromptu photo shoot with my daughter and I watched her in amazement as she took risk to get good shots and hammed it up for the camera. My relationship with her got me to thinking about my relationship with my own mother. I thought about all the wonderful things she missed in my life as I grew up. I wondered if she has ever looked at me as lovingly as the way I look at my own daughter... Forgiven but not forgotten; you know? Anyway, my daughter is the love of my life and I fall in love with her all over again, everyday! She amazes me and I cherish the moments we have together. I love feeling her small hand in mine when we take walks together and I adore looking in her brown eyes and seeing them smile... Indeed, she knows that she is loved and will never have to write a poem such as "Long before I could breathe on my own."There is so much more to be said about our mother-daughter relationship but right now I rather just feel it. Silently, I thank God for her because she saved my life… In the beginning, she was the reason for my hustle, now, I do it for US!

[HE]ART always,

TavyDay