I didn’t build this place with brick or flame,
I built it with souls who believed the same
That words still matter, that hearts still sing,
That broken lines can grow new wings.
When nights were long and hope felt thin,
You leaned right close and pulled me in,
With quiet cheers and steady light,
You taught my dark how to fight the night.
You show up early, you stay up late,
You celebrate small wins like they’re fate,
You read each line, you clap each try,
You lift each voice so it learns to fly.
This room breathes love because you exist,
Every post a spark, every word a fist
Knocking on doors that doubt once closed,
Proving art still grows where kindness goes.
So here’s my bow, my grateful grin,
My loud soft thank you from deep within
This isn’t mine, it never was
It’s ours because of each one of us.
My amazing family hear this true:
Every heartbeat here is because of you.
By Jason Strickland