Cenizo Journal Spring 2022 | Page 10

mind was just beginning to be formed into something beautiful which later inspired my creativity . I realized much of the wild I was after was inside of me .
Little did I know these memories and languages I spoke would dissipate after being diagnosed with three life-threatening medical conditions at age 15 , after unknowingly drinking a glass of champagne that had been poisoned with battery acid . Everything I ’ d ever known was shaken dramatically . I was poisoned by a pair of human sex traffickers in Quintana Roo , Mexico . I am lucky to still be alive and free . This event sent me into a downward spiral of mental , emotional , and physical unavailability . I was living with Lymes Disease , CAEBV , Anemia , and Bartonella , of which all were chronic . I was lucky to be able to get out of bed . The symptoms were similar to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome . Little did I know , these diseases would worsen and slowly take over my life — but through these conditions , I learned to adapt and overcome instead of running : an invaluable , and formidable lesson for me to learn .
After moving to Fredericksburg alone at age 17 I soon had to go on the run after being pursued by the authorities for possessing CBD , which is now legal in Texas but was not at the time . This situation was very complicated and unusual . So , once again I ran . I spent a lot of time living with partners I had in Austin and San Antonio , but most of my time being “ on the run ” was spent living in abandoned adobe huts in the rural and vast Big Bend region . I went days , even weeks without contact with anyone I knew . I was surviving in the wilderness alone - gathering my own food and water and sleeping by the campfire to keep warm in the cool desert nights . I spent many of my days on “ the porch ” in Terlingua Ghost Town playing the guitar , singing , and talking to authentic people while admiring the view of the Chisos Mountain Range . I was safe in the wilderness . And in that , I found the healing I always needed , which has transformed me into the person I am now .
After all I ' ve experienced in this short life , the voice of Wisdom has spoken to my heart and taught me to be grateful for everything . I ’ ve learned there is peace , power , and purpose in every day . There is love in each moment and blessings around every corner . Embrace the life you have and the person you have been designed to be . Remember , only YOU can be YOU . �

10 Cenizo Spring 2022