It was when I was young and really, I never knew fear, but I was up one night and it was dark and I couldn't go back to sleep alone. So I made my way downstairs quick as I could down the steep, creaky stairwell of our handmade home to my mother's room.

She had her small bedside lamp warmly aglow but she herself was asleep by her bible. quietly I cuddled by her back. "you alright, sweetie?" she softly stirred, "yeah, mama, just couldnt go back to sleep upstairs" "it's alright sweetie, just keep saying thank you to Jesus" "alright mama." She went back to quietly breathing. I took comfort in the...