{THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK} there is no organization, no story line, no beginning to end, and no happy ending. some days i feel it in my neck, and some days i feel it running down my whole entire spine. that is why i speak of the backbone. it covers every area that i feel the aches and the pains; it is where body and mind align; it is the strongest, yet the weakest part of my body. my weaknesses plant the seeds and my strengths show them the light. it is when i feel no pain at all that i am reminded of growth, and yet another bud on my vertebrae that has bloomed. my backbone is a reminder of where i have been, where i am now, and where i want to be; a reminder of what i have felt, what i am feeling, and what i want to feel. i sense it, i nurture it, and i bloom-this is how i grow. here is to my long nights, shared with you through short excerpts of an ongoing journey to self-love and healing. i hope to impact you in some way. or even better, help you plant a new seed along your garden. feel that pinched nerve in the crevice of your backbone or that knot building up in your neck // you can release it here