Reemerging into my social circles after a period of reclusion was often awkward.  Conversations would typically start with, “So what have you been up to?”.  I would take a deep breath and look into the person’s eyes, trying to sense if they really wanted to know the answer.

I am sitting here in wonder, reflecting on a piece I performed at a small club a few days ago - a weaving of vulnerable storytelling, social commentary, poetry and dance.  What I am playfully pondering is how I got here and why am I continuing this wild journey into the unknown? 

As I am writing these words, I feel my chest tense and my breath so shallow it’s almost imperceptible. I sense fear attempting to hook my thoughts into believing that I don’t have another decent essay in me.

After years of what I called a social media fast, I am not only reemerging in cyberspace, but am also attempting to build an intimate following (gasp).

Social norms had conditioned me to rote mindless greetings limited to hello or hi, but lately, I’ve been called to address people in strange new ways that seem to lure their hearts closer to me.

I don’t recall many times when I truly expressed myself with full abandon.