I Don’t Want to Be Here

A boy in the detention center sat down folded his arms leaned back in his chair and made sure I knew he didn’t want to be there and wasn’t going to participate. When I told them I was a burn survivor I saw that shift. His arms uncrossed and he leaned forward to start...

We Were Friends

After presenting to a group on a staff bonding retreat, a woman approached me and told me she lived my life. She was strong and looked me right in my eyes. “I was born with an incurable skin condition. People would say the same things to me. Freak. Leper. Don’t touch...

Michael

Michael was 8 years old. Feisty, busy and very talkative. He wouldn’t settle down. The staff in the room seemed to have had enough of him. His younger sister interrupted and corrected him… a lot. They both interrupted me, a lot. They were students in an after-school...
I Lost Him

I Lost Him

One of my 6 week placements was with children who are on probation. The staff prepared me to expect little, if not zero, participation. “We’ve had poets in here, dancers, yoga instructors, musician, writers and they won’t participate.” Well into the workshop the kids...

I Wasn’t Supposed to Be Here

A female juvenile prison guard brought in a boy in a little late and asked to sit in on my presentation to a group of 8 incarcerated boys. She was at least 6’5”, very thin and beautiful. She looked around and asked if it was ok if she sat in. After my presentation of...