The Project Planter

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Excerpts taken from "Still I rise" written by Maya Angelou

Like many of us, I once moved through life without realizing how much I had overcome, numb to my own becoming, always reaching for what was next, never pausing to honor what was.

It was gratitude that called me back to myself. It taught me how to receive the present as a gift, not a moment to rush through, but one to feel, to hold, to honor. In that stillness, my appreciation for others began to bloom just the same.

Now, I stand in deep pride of the little girl who chose courage over comfort… who embraced change when it would have been easier to stay the same. Because of her, I live freely today, walking in a life her sacrifices made possible.

Her pain is not forgotten. Her suffering is not wasted. As long as there is breath in my body, there is purpose in her story. In every life I touch, in every community I pour into, I carry her with me,

Nicole “Nikki” Baines.