There aren’t many celebrities that I would consider myself a fan of. Yet, I find myself having an immense amount of respect, appreciation, and admiration for Ms. Viola Davis. It could be the fact that she reminds me so much of my own grandmother; beautiful, strong, and awe-inspiring. One thing is for certain, she is a master of her craft and one of the best in the business. This month, intent., will dive into Finding Me, her memoir and journey.

Her story is harrowing. I, myself, could never imagine disclosing so much about myself to the world. I find myself questioning how anyone has the strength to. Yet, I thank Ms. Davis for sharing so much of her authentic self with us.

“My art in this instance was the best healing tool to resolve my past; the best weapon I had to conquer my present, and my gift to the future.” While she’s talking about portraying a very specific role in this quote (no spoilers from me), I find myself believing the writing of Finding Me to be another healing tool for her.

Ms. Davis takes us on a journey through her childhood and the eventual success of her career and relationships. With each chapter, we find ourselves more invested in her pursuit of self-reflection and self-love. I thank Ms. Davis for her transparency in the realities that come with being poor, being surrounded by violence and abuse, and the struggle of finding yourself worthy of love, even love of yourself. “This is the journey. The only weapon I have of blasting through all of this is forgiveness. It’s giving up all hope of a different past.”