Heirloom - Transforming Pain into Power

Heirloom: Turning My Pain into Power

Grief has a way of freezing time. When my grandmother passed a couple of years ago, my family wasn’t ready. We scrambled to clear her apartment, trying to make sense of something none of us could truly prepare for. In the chaos, the things she had promised me—tangible pieces of her love and memory—were taken by other family members. I was torn up about it. But deeper than that, I was lost, numb, and powerless.

In the weeks leading up to her passing, I felt myself dimming. I didn’t want to be seen. Intense emotions were rising inside me, emotions that scared me. I didn’t know what to do with them, so I just… froze.

Then, something shifted.

A friend of mine came into town with a few of her people. When I introduced myself, I didn’t mention my artistry—I didn’t claim my gifts. My friend caught it immediately. She stopped me, checked me, and reminded me of something I had momentarily forgotten:

I am an artist. I am talented. I am powerful. And it’s my responsibility to use what I have been given.

That night, I went home, sat with my grief, and did the only thing that felt real in that moment—I wrote. The words poured out of me, turning the pain into something I could hold, something that could heal. I recorded a song called Heirloom, a song about how the real inheritance isn’t material—it’s mindset. It’s the strength, resilience, and faith passed down through generations.

When I played it for my friend on the way to the airport the next morning, she cried. And in that moment, I knew—this wasn’t just about me anymore.

Heirloom reminds me every time I hear it that my voice is powerful. That my talent is touched by God. That nothing can break me. There is always hope, favor, and blessing, even in loss.

So if you’re reading this and you’re in pain, know this:

You are not alone. There are people in this world who see you, who want the best for you, who are here to remind you of who you are when you forget.

And above all, remember this: You have the power to alchemize anything. Pain, grief, sadness—if you sit with it, if you accept it, it will show you who you are on a deeper level.