Marked With an “S” 

From the day that I was born I’ve been marked with an “S”,
it’s stuck to me like a stamp that has permanently stained my skin. 

Spina bifidascoliosis—the scary diagnoses meant to define me,
but that’s only where my story begins. 

Became a statistic before I could even breathe on my own, 
with a slim chance of survival, yet look how much I’ve since grown. 

Learned to ignore curious stares since I was a child, 
to understand that they were just kids too, and just respond with a smile. 

Sit up with a straight spine, stand tall in my sneakers—some of the things I’ve never done.
Is that, to you, what makes me such a “special” one? 

I’m no superhuman, I don’t see what you do. 
I may wear some stitches and scars, still I don’t need anything from you. 

Despite several surgeries and sicknesses I’ve made it out,
because that’s not what my life is all about. 

Though it may seem, I do not suffer from what I have,
so save your sympathy for someone else, and let me speak on my own behalf.

I’ve got no sensation in my legs, 
but I’m not half of a human, so don’t treat me that way.

Surmounted every stereotype and stunned the world, 
but I am that I am—I’m just a girl.

So call me strong for everything I’ve been through, 
but in your next sentence, make sure to say that I’m a sweet friend, a sports fan, a big sister, and a storyteller too.

~~~
Though I was born with a disability, I’ve never let it affect my entire life or mentality. I’m fortunate to have the best family and friends that treat me as they would any other, therefore I used to think it was silly to take a day to “celebrate” me, because there’s so much more to me than my disability. I always thought, “Why should I be celebrated for simply being me?” I’ve only recently realized that it’s okay to take pride in the things that make us unique from the rest, mine just happens to be my disability. Furthermore, by having a designated day or month for such, I can embrace those within my community and find comfort and familiarity within our shared life experiences. So, Happy World Spina Bifida Day to myself, and to all born just like me!

Keep Moving: Looking Ahead to Year 2023

Today marks the start of the third year writing for this blog site. For the past three years I’ve learned so much about myself through writing and sharing my words with the world.

This year l put out some of my favorites pieces to date. At the same time, I faced some of the toughest times creatively. I came to a point where I felt stuck, completely sucked dry of any ideas. I felt burnt out on the one thing I love to do the most. As a writer, it is the scariest feeling to feel like you have nothing left to say. There is no doubt in my mind that writing is what I want to pursue, therefore I vowed to myself not to quit. I think the first step in following any personal passion is to be your own biggest supporter. When your efforts seem futile, you have to keep moving.

Oftentimes I find myself revisiting and reading over works of mine as a reminder to myself of my potential. In the name of recognizing my own personal growth through my writing journey thus far, I want to take a look back and proudly showcase some of my favorite pieces I have written within the past year.

I think it’s fitting that one of the first times I felt truly proud of a work that I put out came earlier this year when I wrote about my love for writing.

As mentioned previously, this year met challenges that I had yet to face so intensely before. Just when I thought my creativity was all used up, I decided the only way I could accurately portray such daunting feelings is to write about them, so I used them as inspiration and turned them into one of my favorites pieces I have released to date.

https://faith-it-til-you-make-it.com/2022/08/31/writers-block/

The dichotomy of these two works is distinct, but I now realize this is the reality for many creatives.

Since the start of my pursuance of writing, and this year especially, I turned to words directly from various writers in order to stay inspired and driven to keep moving with my passion.

In the notes app on my phone, I keep a list of quotes that I feel I can relate to or that motivate me. These are just the quotes I added to the list shortly before the new year.

Inspiration is all around us; in the busy streets, on our televisions. It’s potent in every melody of the songs we play and in the lines of every book we read. It’s abundant in all aspects of art, we just have to open our eyes and recognize it. I personally am guilty of not searching for it enough. This year, I owe it to myself to seek inspiration. I will read more, observe more. Only then can I write to my best ability.

As a firm believer in manifestation, in every article I have ever written for New Year’s Day, I typically speak on my goals for the coming year. I’ve come to learn that goal setting or the trendy idea of “New Year’s resolutions” are merely wishful thinking without progressive action.

While we all have the capacity for our words to become our truth, sometimes the things we wish to manifest for ourselves are material possessions we expect to acquire immediately. These expectations only lead to despondency and reduced ambition. As of recent I’ve found solace in positive affirmations. In your daily life, you must speak with a positive attitude as if you already have everything you could ever dream of. Rather than expect to receive anything you want, truly believe that you deserve it and actively put your efforts into making it become a possible reality.

You can’t put a measurement to success, nor can you compare each of your own achievements to those of someone else. There is no timeline to when you will see your wildest dreams come true. All you can do is hold yourself accountable under your personal goals and pursue them with tenacity.

2022 taught me about patience and approaching each day with optimism. I can’t be certain what the future holds for me and my journey through writing, but I do know I am full of creativity and with it I will achieve big things someday. Until then, I just have to keep moving.

~~~
Happy New Year! Here’s to a happy and prosperous 2023! 🎆🎇