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Growing up, I had no safety. My mom was definitely not safe, my house was not safe, my family was not safe. My friends were not safe. School was not safe. I had no safety anywhere except one place: Delaware Park. It is a large park in Buffalo designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, and it is the only friend that I ever had when I lived here.

Today I got to visit Delaware Park and sit by Hoyt Lake under the same willow tree that I used to escape to alone to write to cry to just be me. I got to sit there for a couple hours as myself, and it was glorious.

When I left, I turned around and looked at the park and cried as I said "this is what you gave me: myself. I am here as me because you helped me survive. Thank you my friend"