Word Wednesday: Sarah Kay

Sarah Kay is my favorite spoken word poet, and among her many beautiful pieces is a poem called "The Type," which is inspired by a line from Richard Siken's "Detail of the Woods" saying, "Everyone needs a place. It shouldn't be inside of someone else."

For the past year or so since I first heard this poem, I've kept coming back to it, specifically the line, "You have always been the place," which struck a chord in me when I heard it and continues to do so. I've never been one to share intimate details, but let's just say that my life hasn't felt particularly stable the last few years, and part of what's helped me to come to terms with that has been the message represented in this poem - that you cannot live a happy, healthy life if you try to build it outside yourself - upon something, someone, or someplace else. The things that shape us - strength, beauty, passion - come from inside. We cannot control the people and circumstances that are constantly shifting around us, but we can choose to build our world and ourselves from within. After all, we were born to build.

If you're interested in hearing more of "The Type," you can check it out below:

And, of course, I'd love it if you'd share the quote(s) you've been loving lately too!