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<v Speaker 1>Creativity is an addiction unplugged because we will always say

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<v Speaker 1>yes to creativity, totally uncut, because hey, we all make mistakes,

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<v Speaker 1>so let's turn it into a tool. This is arrow unplugged.

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<v Speaker 1>I am a poet, one that just happens to write

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<v Speaker 1>in a forest. My forest is the Rainbow Forest right

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<v Speaker 1>here in South Charlotte, North Carolina. When I enter this forest,

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<v Speaker 1>or any other collection of trees, I never know what

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<v Speaker 1>I'm going to write about. These aren't my words. These

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<v Speaker 1>are the lyrics from Rainbow Forest, chapter number three hundred

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<v Speaker 1>seventy six, July eighth, twenty twenty three. The sounds of

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<v Speaker 1>Fleetwood Mac's song Dreams from nineteen seventy seven. It is

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<v Speaker 1>gently playing in the background now. Mentally and spiritually, I've

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<v Speaker 1>been removed from this beautiful forest right here in South Charlotte,

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<v Speaker 1>North Carolina. The inner core of my presence finds my

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<v Speaker 1>fifteen year old self sitting on the front lawn on

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<v Speaker 1>Ryan Avenue in Billings, Montana, which is so abnormal in

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<v Speaker 1>my present place of what is right now, My usual

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<v Speaker 1>states of mind are usually locked in on being where

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<v Speaker 1>I am and where I really Yet, the sounds of

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<v Speaker 1>Stevie Nixon company has bodies snatched me and place me

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<v Speaker 1>in the heart of an area and not truly known

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<v Speaker 1>for having a forest or mountain like landscapes. All has

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<v Speaker 1>changed on Ryan Avenue except for maybe the gravel road

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<v Speaker 1>in front of the house and Optimus Park, two anchors

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<v Speaker 1>that carry a lot of weighted memories inside my heart.

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<v Speaker 1>But why today, especially on this page, while the mind

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<v Speaker 1>struggles to locate its path back to Carolina. Now, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>open to enjoy all that once was, but it can't

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<v Speaker 1>be where I remain. That's a tough place right there.

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<v Speaker 1>We all find ourselves reflecting, being in a memory, trying

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<v Speaker 1>to have those great times we once had as children

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<v Speaker 1>and or early stages of adulthood. We want to go back,

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<v Speaker 1>and we allow the music to take us back. We

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<v Speaker 1>watch those old TV programs to get us back, But

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<v Speaker 1>what are we doing to look forward? I'm blessed with

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<v Speaker 1>the opportunity to talk to a lot of seniors, many

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<v Speaker 1>of them not so happy that their mind and body

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<v Speaker 1>aren't working as well as they used to be, but

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<v Speaker 1>they still keep moving forward. Now. I love my sister dearly,

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<v Speaker 1>I really do, But in her final moments together, she

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<v Speaker 1>didn't want to move forward. Anymore. She didn't even want

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<v Speaker 1>to go back. She wanted to just sit there and

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<v Speaker 1>do absolutely nothing, because in her mind, body, and soul,

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<v Speaker 1>she was done. And I understand, I truly understand, and

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<v Speaker 1>what I'm going to share with you is very transparent.

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<v Speaker 1>She was the caretaker for not only my father, but

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<v Speaker 1>she chose to be the caretaker for my mother and

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<v Speaker 1>my very sick brother. She took care of three people.

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<v Speaker 1>An uneducated nurse, she was there for them every single time.

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<v Speaker 1>Now Here's where I began to understand her side of

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<v Speaker 1>the story. In Whoopy Goldberg's new book, she talks about

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<v Speaker 1>losing her mother and her brother, and she asks the question,

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<v Speaker 1>why did you leave me here? Pause? Pause, pause, where

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<v Speaker 1>we are. We can live in the past, we can

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<v Speaker 1>live in the future, which is still very much unborn

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<v Speaker 1>and unpredictable, or we can be in this moment of now.

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<v Speaker 1>It's okay to visit the past, just don't live in it.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm erril. These are not my words. These are the

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<v Speaker 1>lyrics from Rainbow Forest.