A few months ago, a really close friend of mine told me that I had a tendency to get lost in metaphors and that at some point I would have to just come out and say what it is I wanted my audience to know. I've recently realized that I have come to disagree with that statement.

The truth is that I don't think I want my audience to "know" anything when they read my poems. It's taken me a long time to realize that, but I'm finally starting to understand that I didn't start writing to poor out my deepest darkest feelings. I started writing so that other people could read them and feel as though someone understands exactly what they are going through. I continue to write because I am an emotional human being who has made her fair share of mistakes in her short, but eventful, lifetime. I allowed some people to stay in my life far longer than they deserved. When I love someone or something, I love at one hundred and ten percent, and that has caused a lot of heartache in the past. I let my past write my story for a long time. I have struggled to survive, in every sense of the word. I am just now figuring out what healing looks like for me. And I hurt people during this journey and I have have been hurt, too.

I write because words have power. One word can mean so many different things to so many different people and if there is meaning in my words, if there is healing that can be found from sharing my wounds, then I am doing exactly what I am meant to do.

So I will continue to write in metaphors and symbols because I want others to read my poems and take from it what they need. I will continue to write to ensure no one who reads my words ever feels alone.

If you write, feel free to share this article along with why you write. If you don't write, and you do something else, share that, too! Everyone is different and you should never justify why you are who you are, but sharing reasons why you write is a great way to inspire others to embrace who they are.