"...I enjoy speaking, especially for youth organizations. My family didn't have a lot growing up. There were times when I thought I'd never amount to anything because we had no riches. We didn't have nice things. We weren't sent to the best schools. I spent many nights crying because i felt like i wasn't good enough to have a dream. I think that's why i want the world to know who i was, who i am, and who i hope I'll be one day. I learned to read at home by candlelight. The fact that all the other kids were learning to read at home with electricity only made me study harder. After a while, i stopped crying because i didn't have things. If i ever cried, it was because i had to add more blood, sweat and tears to my stride. Maybe because my feelings got a little hurt or my pride wounded or my heart broken, but I stopped crying about the things I didn't have because God reminded me that all I needed was tougher skin and stronger faith. I'd be lying if I said life was flowers and rainbows all the time; but i made a promise to myself- When life gets ugly and painful...I'll write it as honestly and beautifully as i possibly can.

                                - Remona g. Tanner