#risingfromashes

Each day, new flowers bloom — around me, within me, wherever I go.

Birds are singing in tones I’ve never heard, a dawn of spring in the place I now call home.

My rules are open doors: to dance, to joy, to the laughter I never knew with you.

You made me a watcher of wings, told me the sacred must stay untouched, that distance was devotion.

But no longer — I walk my own path, freely, into the places I have never been.

She walks away from me — nothing left behind, no thing I could touch, hear, or feel. She moves within her circle, behind doors I no longer open, walking in the other direction.

I think she will not understand why I am gone, why I am tired.

The circle is hers — a closed reality, and me, already gone.

Full back tattoo of a phoenix rising from ashes, Steve Sack style

I went to see this phenomenal film at the Leeds Bicycle Film Club earlier this week. So I wanted to tell you about it.

It’s a beautiful, inspiring and heartbreaking film about the founding of the Team Rwanda cycling team. Jock Boyer moved to Rwanda to help develop cycling and this film tells the story of this group of young men, many of whom suffered extreme loss in the Rwandan genocide, and their hard work and dedication to cycling. They come so far and the story is truly one of hope and hard work overcoming adversity. If you get a chance to check out this film please do and you can find out more about Team Rwanda and Africa Rising here.