After being adopted at the tender age of six, I became fully aware that the world could be either be embraced or shunned. The events that led to my adoption left me with deep emotional scarring. For years, I battled the demons of my past. Burying my feelings, I pushed through life only as a shadow of myself. The mask I wore was a fake facade and the demons of my past nearly consumed me. It was not until I discovered the written word that I truly began to heal. I have overcame many obstacles within my personal life that have allowed me to become passionate about life. I hope that my journey through darkness may inspire others to reach for the light. Writing has wrapped itself around my soul and refuses to let goA[a–A]I hope it never does.