A. Alive, I feel alive. I feel alive, in this moment and in this poem. I am alive. I am everything I’ve dreamed of, anything at all, I can be. I am the moon, controlling the tides, I am the tides, washing ashore, I am the sun, heating the sand, I am the wind, carrying my words near and far…I am the trees, waiting to bear fruit, I am the soil, giving small creatures a home, I am Alive..

N. Namaste, dear friends. My morning coffee cup sits beside me, the light from the kitchen illuminates the golden paint off of the wall. I see the God in you, so do not fret if we do not see eye to eye. Peace, always, because in 10 years, our tranquility will be the only thing worth salvaging.

G. Gratitude, I am so thankful for this moment. Because I knew poverty and sadness, I began to count my blessings and became rich with happiness. I give thanks for the food in my ‘fridge, the air in my lungs, the roof over my head, and the love in my heart. I am most Grateful that I have 10 fingers, so that I can sit here and type this.

S. Strength, I am strong. My favorite word to describe myself, for I must remind myself at least 10 times a week that I will not break. Fuerte, Soy fuerte, one of the first phrases I learned in Spanish. For me, there is no creativity, no words, no inspiration, no passion without strength from adversity. Every day, I (try to remember) to say these words. And when I do, I am the ruler of my universe.

T. Transformation, I am always evolving. Time passes and I move with it, riding the waves of life and carving my way into caves of shelter…I rest there, and I transform. From caterpillar to butterfly, from girl to woman, I am always transforming. Growth is essential, it is okay to not have all of the answers, and I continually transform so that I can meet life head-on with whatever it throws at me.