During my journey of self-analysis and discovery I began to realize part of the substance that makes me a whole person was off balance. Something was missing. I had been ignoring a very important part of myself and it was dying. Eventually, I came to realize it was the spiritual element. I am not necessarily referring to a religious connection to spirit. For some, spirit equates to religion, but for me spirit is how we connect to others and the intangible.

I had been ignoring my spirit, was not connecting with others in a meaningful manner, and it left me feeling empty. Rediscovering my spirit and spirituality, and truly embracing it, has allowed me to feel part of something much larger than just being human. Doing so has also fueled a growth in my writing. “The Candidate” feels like something that should be performed as slam poetry. I hope you feel the pulsing energy in it.