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Travis@TravisBridges.com
Travis Bridges is the CEO of Mighty Horn Music, an accomplished saxophonist, and two-time recording artist with a third project in progress. His musical repertoire includes Smooth Jazz, Top 40, R&B, and Inspirational genres. With a background in radio, Travis is also a scriptwriter, voice-over talent, and audio production professional. You can learn more about Travis and MHM at travisbridges.com or mightyhornmusic.com. Beyond his professional achievements, Travis is an independent creative thinker, true to his character and commitments. Despite his humble and sensitive nature, he possesses a larger-than-life energy, not just reflected in his broad physique and presence but also in his keen ability to seek and uncover purity. He compartmentalizes detailed information while setting aside personal biases, carefully examining the general perspectives of others. Genuine in his interactions, his brutally honest directness can sometimes lead to misunderstandings, seeming to be labeled insensitive by those who may struggle with his authenticity. Nevertheless, his boldness and bravery require no apology. Travis believes in the achievement of the highest standards of accountability. He is strong in his convictions. He is a deep thinker who literally thinks deeply, sometimes to his own detriment. His insatiable appetite for knowledge and reason displays a childlike inquisitiveness allowing him to seek the unknown with unabashed fearlessness that only a strong faith could endure. Dedicated to a journey of self-discovery, he not only examines and questions his own inner voice, but also analyzes meanings and intentions in general. For him, the hunger and thirst for logical reasoning and critical thinking is as necessary as oxygen. He shares his vulnerabilities with courage, and his honesty and resilience exemplify a concrete level of fortitude. The unique and inspirational sound of his saxophone is music for the soul touching the spirit in ways most words may never reach. As you experience the unfolding of My Mother’s 5th Child, expect to be moved, inspired, and enlightened by how a young boy navigates through manhood beyond complex circumstances. Although this memoir affords great insight into how Travis became who he is, it does no justice to actually knowing him personally. This reading experience will deepen your appreciation for Travis—the boy, the son, the brother, the father, the grandfather, the friend, and……. Travis…The Man! — his Mother’s 5th Child!
I would almost give anything to share my full story the way I know it from the fullness of my heart. I have not been able to for a long time for fear and overconcern about how I could be judged. That cannot or could not have been good for me or anyone. The ability to be free and speak freely is important for a reason. It’s a right for a reason. It is exercised in therapy and in confessions for a reason. If it’s so important in those places, why are people criticized so for expressing themselves? The suicide of our painful emotions is an expression within itself. I have often been asked: “What is it about other countries that you like, and why Colombia of all places?” Even when I share that story, I don’t tell the fullness of why when I’m there or not in “America”, I don’t feel like the American “Black man” that I believe or come to believe that I am viewed as. Although there is racism and prejudice everywhere, there is no history of American slavery, cotton fields, The KKK, Jim Crow, the histories of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, or any other struggles of Black people, in particular the way we know it in the USA. I don’t expect to see a Confederate flag anywhere other than America. For the record, I don’t think of the Confederate flag for what it means to those who fly it as anything wrong. In fact, I respect their strong beliefs. I just may not be comfortable with the source those beliefs are built upon. I just don’t feel the same energies from other “cultures”. I know for certain it likely exists in some ways. I just don’t feel that I am primarily judged by the color of my skin from the same sources. I believe I speak for every man, but I am confident that I speak for every Black man in America when I say the playing field is not and has not been leveled. It’s not only a physical thing that we notice in our finances, wealth, or social status, but it’s something we feel deep down inside our bones. We experience it. It’s something we know we must work at and be a little extra to even obtain “less.” Generational wealth really is a thing. There are those who will say you get what you work for, and that America is fair because of the opportunities it presents, particularly to foreigners; and of course, as a proud “American,” it is the greatest country that I know of overall. But we/ Black people, experience and know the truth about the race we run and how somehow our lane (does not have the same starting place and) doesn’t always cross the finish line without extreme performance and massive sacrifices. I am convinced that real communication, the fullness of expression, and the opportunity to speak freely is an open door to many freedoms. My prayer is that anyone who reads the fullness of anything that I am trying to say in my writings will look past any legalities or criticisms that could come against me and allow me to fully exercise my first amendment right to express myself from the core of my experiences and allow me to simply speak freely. If I’m wrong, just allow me to be there. If I’m right, allow me to also be that, but thank you in advance for allowing me to be free physically, mentally, and emotionally. Escaping negative judgment and criticism can be peaceful. There’s one thing I learned about freedom, and that is, when people with addictions, traumas or problems in general are truly delivered and set free, they are able to openly discuss those issues and concerns without embarrassment. It’s where I find myself today prior to releasing this information. I realize the information contained in this book is personal, private, and even sentimental. During my time of writing, editing, organizing, and preparation for the release, I realized that there are toes that could be stepped on, fingers that could be smashed, and even some situations that could be totally equivalent to throwing someone under the bus. There are a lot of situations and information that I am sharing that the “old me” would be embarrassed by and even overly concerned about the toes that may get caught under the tires of the passing vehicle of my experiences. However, the boldness required to move forward, even though I am nervous and afraid, is where I believe deliverance, independence and true freedom are created. So, as I share stories, expose and reveal the information within this presentation, I solicit the prayers of those who will stand by me, my vulnerability, and even the courage to move forward with all of the insecurities, doubts and fears that I experienced during the preparation of sharing this information. Thank you all in advance for allowing me to express myself and for the freedom to release myself from the bondage that these stories, incidents, and experiences have created. This book is equivalent to the doves we release to celebrate precious moments and or the balloon we release to signify freedom. Again, thank you for respecting the freedom of expression and the humbleness of vulnerability. I present to you My Mother’s Fifth Child, the “Knee Baby,” REveal / EXpose.
When people ask me what my book is about, I am not sure how to explain it in a conversation. I say something that kinda, sorta, goes like this…. “I found myself repeating a cycle of circumstances involving interactions in relationships with people. One particular situation was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The severity and the emotional impact of that experience forced me to return to my childhood after being exposed to a term called “traumas.” When I realized that certain childhood experiences shaped and molded my personality and character traits, it only made sense to examine the possibility of who I am and why I am the way that I am.” The discovery of forms of neglect, abandonment, attachment disorder and separation anxiety complexes led me to a place of self-examination that totally gave new meaning to my very existence. [Examples: loss of a parent, too many siblings, lack of trust, a child picking up on parental anxiety, emotionally detached, insecure attachments, feeling different, shame, guilt and self-image, longing for the attention of your feelings, being seen, heard, outbursts of frustration, constant attempts to please, low self-esteem, fears of being judged, isolation,] Attachment disorder affects a child’s ability to form and maintain relationships or to form a constant emotional connection with a parent What I started to discover gave me the incentive to understand the importance of taking full responsibility for any and all situations that led up to the adult that I was examining. Psychological and emotional recovery and stability have very little to do with who is to blame but more to do with who is responsible for maintaining that stability. So, in answering that question, “What is your book about?... it would be, “Why I am, the Way that I am!” as it relates to my childhood traumas and how I am able to revise those traumas to become the best and better me.
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