Root Down, Rise Up

By Bryna Aubrey

A collection of poetic observations on life, love and heartbreak, hurt, and finding your way. If you look closely enough, you'll uncover the story of a girl. A self-portrait of sorts.

Relatable and sincere, the author poignantly captures the highs and lows of the human experience. This book will help inspire others as they work to heal from or navigate life's hurdles – including trauma, mental health challenges, and self-discovery.

This is a story of triumph. An open door to a heart behind iron bars. Breaking free Of people, pain, hurt, sorrow Loneliness. A tale of vulnerability. Of learning to trust. Seeing things for what they are. Showing things for what they are. Intentionally writing my world. Because my story belongs to me.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tellwell Talent
• Release date: Aug 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9780228877400

Bryna Aubrey

Bryna is a millennial who lives in beautiful British Columbia with her very playful and affectionate Siberian kitty Mochi. Through sheer determination she developed a successful career with the Government of Canada—already over a decade into her career. As a young woman she successfully led the launch of a project valued at over $10 million, and has worked overseas on a diplomatic passport. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Ottawa. In her spare time Bryna loves yoga, cooking, reading, photography (and travelling and outdoor things, of course!), and recently took up painting. She is a strong advocate for Indigenous peoples and is currently working to help change Canada's broken systems from the inside out.

Book preview

Copyright © 2022 by Bryna Aubrey

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Tellwell Talent

www.tellwell.ca

ISBN

978-0-2288-7739-4 (Paperback)

978-0-2288-7740-0 (eBook)

Table of Contents

foreword

observations on life

love and love

hurt

healing

resources

foreword

I wrote most of these poems over a few months in 2020. It was like the floodgates had opened.

These pages tell the story of my life. And it’s not the happiest of stories. There has been loss—loss of a parent as a child, loss of innocence, loss of self. As a little girl neglected by one caretaker, and forced to navigate the mental illness of another. Intergenerational trauma. Emotional abuse by family, friends, boyfriends. I grew up in poverty with no support system. Like so many other women, men have taken advantage of my body. As an adult, my home was destroyed by a housefire. I witnessed a violent death. I have experienced depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and being disconnected from my body and emotions. For a very long time I felt like I didn’t fit in and couldn’t be myself. There have been narcissists. Many, many narcissists.

However. Above all, this book is about healing. It’s about strength, and courage. Tenacity. Resilience. Hope. Read this book knowing that I am happily sitting here in a beautiful place safely on the other side, smiling while the sun shines through my window. There was a path to love for me—self-love, and love for and from others. These words helped me find myself. It would be my dream that you might