Free on Stage

The stage is the only place where I feel truly free. Free from the weight of MS, free from the noise of anxiety, free from the shadows of depression. For those minutes under the lights, I’m not trapped by a diagnosis or defined by a struggle, I’m just me.

In everyday life, there are limits. My body doesn’t always do what I want. Fatigue can stop me mid day. Pain can make even the simplest things feel like a battle. But on stage, the words carry me. It’s like the weight lifts and I’m lighter, stronger, untouchable for just a little while.

That’s why I keep chasing those moments. Performing isn’t just about sharing poetry; it’s about escaping the cage. When I’m speaking into the mic, I’m not thinking about how much my legs ache or how tired I am. I’m thinking about connection. I’m thinking about the rhythm, the honesty, the power of words landing in someone else’s chest.

It’s not that my disability disappears, believe me it’s still there, but it stops being the headline. The audience isn’t looking at me thinking, “He’s disabled.” They’re listening, feeling, engaging. They’re caught up in the words and in that moment, so am I.

There’s a freedom in honesty. A freedom in not having to pretend. When I write and perform, I strip it all back. No filters. No false smiles. Just truth and the truth is, I’ve found a kind of peace up there that I can’t find anywhere else.

For me, the stage isn’t just a platform. It’s a sanctuary. It’s where pain becomes poetry, struggle becomes strength, and silence turns into something unforgettable. 

It’s where I stop surviving and start living.