For me, writing is therapeutic. It allows me to escape reality and tap into my imagination. Whether I am writing for a specific purpose or simply expressing myself in a whimsical way, writing gives me a sense of freedom. This freedom allows me an opportunity to rewrite history, uniquely mold the present, and project the future in my own way. The late great Dr. Maya Angelou said, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel" and for that reason, I try to evoke my feelings in my writing so that others can be touched by my words. When I die, I want my words to live on and be the joy that someone needs, the captivity that will make a person feel loved, the therapy that will help to motivate someone, and inspiration that could very well encourage one to hope again. You never know how your words can change a person's trajectory in life.
I grew an interest in writing when I was in high school. My English teacher would walk into the classroom, write a random word or phrase on the blackboard, and give my classmates and me 15 minutes to write about it. When our 15 minutes were up, our teacher would then ask for volunteers or call upon different people randomly to stand and share what they had written before the room. As scary as that may sound, I anticipated hearing what my peers wrote and also sharing my thoughts with them. My classmates looked forward to me reading what I had written because I always thought outside the box. I would take them on a journey by allowing my imagination to drive their minds to new places. One of my most interesting pieces stemmed from the words "toilet tissue..."

After sharing my poem, the room was left abounding with hybrid emotions. My peers didn't know how to feel. They simply applauded me, which made me feel pretty good, to say the least. I never write to get any type of praise, but the occasional accolades do feel nice, especially because writing is my passion. I want others to feel my heart when I express my words to them. Writing gives me the confidence to open up without the feeling of being judged. Oftentimes, I have to be mindful of my speech and how I articulate myself when I express words verbally, but writing gives me the independence to be bold. On paper. I can be my most confident self and I love it!
As a young boy growing up in the country, I picked up many hobbies- some turned into talents. By age 6, I had learned how to cook from working in my family's restaurant. I also took an interest in drawing and I begin to play sports (football, basketball, and track). As I grew older, I even explored music, writing songs and singing, although I didn't think I had much of a voice! I was a man of many diverse talents many would say, but out of them all, writing consumed me. When I would write. I never had to wonder if I was messing up or feel compelled to prove myself to anyone. I found peace in writing!
Over the years, I wrote more and more. Any time life would bring to me a new experience and/or I would witness things transpire through observation, I would write about it. My passion for writing grew so immensely that I decided to start my very first blog When Life Speaks, where I hoped to showcase my works on a larger platform. Unfortunately, my blog didn't attract many followers. I pondered whether or not I should continue sharing or keep my poems to myself, but on one particular day. I had an epiphany. I decided to turn my blog into a book. Today, I am super excited to share my collection of words written over time in When Life Speaks, the book! I hope that you enjoy reading these words as much as I have enjoyed writing them.