This April we are spotlighting a beautiful poem 'Home' by Alex O'Byrne.
Alex is an early years teacher, writer and advocate for mental health and addiction living in South London. Bailey is a videographer and mother from Salt Lake City, Utah. Their friendship began in Africa while Alex was in active addiction. They both bonded over love, life and faith. Over the years, they have built a beautiful friendship across the pond, and continue to help each other learn and grow.
This piece came about on Alex’s last trip to Utah. She wrote the poem during her stay, documenting how their friendship not only stood the test of her addiction and mental health struggles, but served as a safe space for them both to challenge each other to always strive to be better. This piece is about the pain and beauty in self reflection, and the struggle and strength in the decision to relinquish control to something greater than ourselves. Photography and editing was done by Bailey.
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Home.
Is it a place you come back to,
Or a place you create in that hole where whole used to be?
Is it something that lies dormant,
Waiting for you to ignite it with reflection,
And the ‘right kind’ of boundaries?
What are the right kind anyway?
Is it where you are, or what you are
Or who you have the potential to be?
Questions. I have so many questions,
I hope the answers are within reach.
Somewhere nested in my peripheral vision,
only appearing when I have the strength
to see them for what they are.
And to put aside my ego
for a split second at a time,
what a feat
Hello ego, we meet again.
It’s yours, not mine. whatever, whoever you are.
That means, that no matter what is thrown my way.
It will all be ok, eventually