hi, i'm emily.
One time, when I was somewhere around 10 or 11 years old, I had a dance recital. My younger sister, in the purest form of our relationship, said something utterly ridiculous to me beforehand that truly struck me funny.
I couldn't stop laughing. The perma-grin was real.
I hit my mark on stage half worried I was not going to be able to perform, the other half of me trying to conceal my giggle fit.
To my very unexpected delight, I received rave reviews on how well I did. How I lit up on stage (I was a very reserved kid) and gave such a joyful performance. It was the answer I didn't know I needed to the questions
I hadn't thought to ask -
What lights the fire inside of you?
And what's so wrong with letting that shine through?
I've been chasing that high while simultaneously trying to live up to that little girl's standards for me ever since.
Photo by Fred Norris, © 2023