But I know deep down, there's a fire in my soul A spark that won't dim, a light that will glow I'll rise from the ashes, stronger than before I'll sing my song of hope, forevermore So I'll keep on fighting, I'll keep pushing through I'll find my worth, my purpose, my truth And I'll sing my song of healing, of love and of grace With God by my side, I'll find my place So let the music play, let the words ring true I'll turn my pain into a melody, a song for you I'll rise above the darkness, I'll shine so bright I'll sing my song of strength, into the night Although the tears may fall, and the pain may sting I'll keep on singing, I'll keep on spreading my wings I'll find my voice, my power, my light I'll turn my pain into a song, and take flight. By Teiera Saunders

And there is one night I will never be able to erase. Not because I want to remember it— but because my body remembers what my heart wishes it could forget. Two days after I finally opened up and told you, I was raped, Two days after I’m telling you, I was raped after you said those cruel things to me, after you told me I was ugly, I wanted liked it after you told me I had wanted it, after you felt I I allowed to myself to be defaulted after you made me feel filthy for something that was done to me— you looked at me and somehow believed you were entitled to me too. Because I’m your wife ???? You didn’t ask. You didn’t care what my body had just survived. You didn’t stop to wonder To wonder whether I was terrified. Whether I was hurting. Whether I was even capable of wanting anyone to touch me. You simply took what you wanted. And afterward— you chuckled. You turned your back to me. And went to sleep. I lay there curled into myself like a child trying to disappear. Crying. Quietly. Broken. And you knew. You knew I was crying. You knew I was hurting. You knew what had happened to me And still— you turned over. Two minutes later, I heard you snoring. Snoring. While I lay there trying to understand how the person beside me could hear my pain and sleep through it. Do you know what that did to me? Do you know what happens inside a woman when the person she once trusted Loved….. can look at her suffering and simply roll over? Something dies. Not the body. Something deeper. The illusion. The belief that my man would protect me. The belief that my children’s father would understand. My Husband The belief that the person lying beside me was my safe place. That night I didn’t just look at you differently. I began asking myself how I could ever look at you the same way again. How could I look at you and see the man I once loved? How could I look at you and see the father I wanted my children to admire? How could I look at you and tell my daughters