before

13 x 13 x 2.5  housed in a handcrafted poplar wood frame. plaster + concrete + sand + oil + ground crystal quartz.  before you colored in the lines of my most asked questions, i thought my story was one of its own. untamed and unworthy of existing, before i was gifted the knowledge of knowing the thought i had before your enlightenment was a medal of survival.  before you, i was blame. i was small. i was isolated in a self centered existence formed from what I thought was necessary protection, protection from being seen. protection from my own memories. closing the door on her, while hearing her knocking, everyday.  my thought was, if i never show you where I was, all you’ll know is who stands in front of you. before, you explained to me the community of other woman who held hand in hand marching together to freedom. i thought freedom was simply a formula to attempt forgetting my past.  she said to me, “true freedom is allowing us to help you remove your handcuffs that are still holdin