Meraki

My Story, How I Ended Up Here In Your Hands

I was always drawn to English classes

ever since I was a young girl in elementary school

my teachers began to push me to do more with my writing

to get out there

and show people.

In fifth grade I entered a contest for writing

and won second place.

In the sixth grade

after my brother passed

I wrote a poem about it

I remember being scared to do it

but my ten-year-old self found a way to turn my pain into something beautiful.

My ten-year-old self stood in front of that sixth grade class and read that poem aloud

and as tears began to rush down my face

I continued to read

it was difficult but I continued

because that's what I do

even in the hardest of times

I keep pushing through.

That same poem was noticed by my town's newspaper and published to the weekly column.

I slowly continued with writing

just enough to keep my soul alive

jotting down thoughts in journals

writing poems here and there.

My junior year in high school is when things started to get really bad for me.

I didn't know what else to do

other than turn my pain into something beautiful

once again.

I began to write

my soul told me that the only way to keep it alive

was by writing again

so I started my book.

I have been working so hard on this

every day

for the past year.

This book means the world to me.

You all mean the world to me.

Thank you.

This is how

I turned my pain

into some thing beautiful.

This is Meraki.

-C.D.