Welcome to the Journey

You’ve got the words to change a nation

But you’re biting your tongue

You’ve spent a lifetime stuck in silence afraid you’ll say something wrong

If no one ever hears it how we’re gonna learn your song?

Come on, come on

-Emeli Sande

Read All About it Part III

And so with this I start.

Writing has always been the way I express myself. In times when I’ve been unable to articulate what I want to say with my voice, I could always count on my pen to do the talking for me. I had been journaling before journaling was a thing, expressing my innermost thoughts on blank pages, capturing my soul between book covers.

My dad still has the poems I wrote in primary school, some of them framed. Back then I was obsessed with flowers and Brian Lara. Come to think of it, the more things change, the more they remain the same. I’m still in awe of gardens and Brian Lara is forever the prince for me.

I would later graduate to a Barbie diary with a flimsy lock then to this beautiful brown felt book, a book that would take me through secondary school and university, to now several different types of journals: one for personal thoughts, one for professional goals, one for fitness…you get the picture. 

I’ve always loved reading. My imagination would come alive with my interpretation of what was on the page and in turn writing became my way of letting my mind explore all the avenues it wanted.

I can’t be a singular expression of myself, 

there’re too many parts, too many spaces, 

too many manifestations, too many lines, too many curves, 

too many troubles, too many journeys, 

too many mountains, too many rivers, 

so many.

-Solange Knowles

Can I Hold The Mic Interlude 

The avenues have all amounted to what Solange said best- I am no singular expression of myself. There’s so much going on in my mind at any given time and so much I want to share and say, hence how ‘Love.L’ was born.

I had gone through a series of personal experiences that I felt I needed to share; the lessons were just too invaluable for me to keep to myself. Suddenly my words had a voice, I knew I could be a lion and if only one woman heard my roar and could relate that was ok.  I jotted my thoughts down and called that particular piece of writing ‘A Journey to Self’. At that point they had no real home besides my book and then my laptop, but I knew I had found a new sense of purpose. As fate would have it, my friend would tell me about a website her sister was launching ‘Moon+Mettle’ and the rest became history.

As for my roar, it was louder than I could have ever imagined. People were messaging and sending DMs to tell me how my writing helped them, offered perspectives on their own journeys…I knew I had tapped into a special talent and wanted to do more, needed to do more…and now we’re here.

The journey to self hasn’t ended, it never will but I’m hoping that a few of you will choose to come on the journey with me while on your on paths to self-discovery.  The list of things I want to talk about feels endless- vulnerability, love, friendships, music, therapy, career choices…it goes on and on.

You’ve got a heart as loud as lions
So why let your voice be tamed?
Baby, we’re a little different there’s no need to be ashamed
You’ve got the light to fight the shadows
So stop hiding it away
– Emeli Sande

So come, read all about it. I hope that on the way no matter how similar or different we are, we can inspire and encourage each other and build a community of fearless individuals.

Selah,

PS. In case curiosity was getting the best of you at what I could possibly write about a flower as a child, I present to you…

The Flower

 

As it unfurls its petals out wide

It puts all its fears and troubles aside

As the morning sun, it shines brightly

And it  dances in the wind so gracefully

 

As I watch it with a lifetime of interest

It silently tries to impress

It handles itself with dignity and much discretion

It is such a wonderful creation

 

What a wonderful piece of art is the flower

It was made through God’s own power

As it closes its petals and goes to sleep

In life the next day, it would take another leap

 

Lynn at 11 years old
1998-02-24