Reflections & Promises

Dear Year 23,

Thank you for the tough awakening

I needed to now arrive at the woman I now know I want to become.

You took serious beatings to bring me to where I am now.

You had to follow your impulse no matter how careless it seemed to run wild.

You allowed me to trust and love new people in my life,

A character trait far from what I know.

You allowed me to feel ultimate pain,

The pain of seeing ones that I love deeply hurt.

A realization that I cannot go through the world alone,

That family is important.

You made it hard to let go of a love that seemed to be forever

And because of that, I learned hard truths.

The truth and difference between being in love and to love.

You showed me how gracious and understanding I can be

No matter how messed up that truth revealed itself to be.

Year 23, you watched me degrade my body —

Mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Thank you.

Thank you for allowing me to learn from every mistake and triumph.

It’s the lessons that brought me here to reflect on the woman I want to become.

Year 24.

Year 24 will be magical and unlike no other because this year while I might not have a direct outline of a path to take, I understand what I am working towards.

This year, I want to find true enlightenment.

I want to work towards the definition of true self-love.

It's my goal to surround myself with nature and family while working towards my personal goals outside of academia and service.

Answering the questions always posed to me throughout Kwanzaa are the questions I want to pose to myself all year —

Who am I?

How do I know I am who I say I am?

What am I doing to be this person I proclaim to be?

Love Always,

MEA <3