Life deals us with the toughest lessons, but are they given to us because the creator above knows that we can handle them and some more?

Dark days seem so dark and seeing the light so very far away, makes us want to give up or give in. The darkness surrounds us that sometimes that light can’t be seen.

Your heart feels broken and you feel as though there will be no repair to this brokenness.

The tears shed, you start to wonder if you keep going you could contribute to the ocean.

Your feet feel as though you’ve walked a thousand miles, you feel so tired and just want to stop.

You feel like your drowning, trying to reach for the surface your hand reaches above your head but sometimes it feels impossible to reach that surface.

You feel pushed way past the point of breaking, you’ve been brought down to your knees and there is no end to this - or so you think.

You wonder if this is rock bottom, why had you fallen so hard on the ground.

But what happens when you reach that light? What happens when you reach the surface? What happens when you reach that destination? What happens when you reach rock bottom? Well the only way out is up.

You start to see colour, you notice the birds in the trees or flying in the sky.

You stop to smell the roses and take time to appreciate the gift of living that was given to you.

You observe those who surround you and wonder how deep they may be.

Your smile grows bigger and you appreciate the little things, the simple things.

The grass seems greener, the trees that whistle in the nature are as interesting as ever.

And the sky had never looked so blue as it does right now.

Love is blue as the sky But love is sometimes as darks as rain clouds.

At first, it’s mostly blue, With no clouds, no arguments.

Then as the rain comes, it becomes confusing. With light gray clouds and small arguments, Opinions too.

At last, when it has been raining for a while, the storm stops. Every opinion and argument breaks up like the storm clouds. And we go back to being loved.

Then the rain will start again. There is almost never peace. And we go back to being angry.

But for now, the sky had never looked so blue.

Healing is a glacier that creeps And melts Until it suddenly breaks

The sky was blue today And laughter wasn’t forced Despite last night Drinking myself to sleep

What’s the difference 
 Between a glacier and a tundra?
 One has a destination
 And it looks like I finally processed
 That I found mine

 Ah! This glacial lake is frigid 
 But it feels good to be awake 
 Swimming in light blue at last 

 What an odd relief

 I never thought again 
 My blue would match the sky

I walked through life in quiet despair, The weight of the world, too much to bear, But in my heart, a flame did burn, A lesson of hope I was yet to learn.

I heard a voice, from within the skies, ‘’ I’m here, my child. Now dry your eyes.’’ It left me breathless, I must confess. For in that moment, I was blessed.

I saw the darkness start to fade, As faith within me rose and stayed, It whispered of a future new, Where dreams once lost could now come true.

I reached the edge of dawn's embrace, Felt the sun's warm, gentle grace, The pain subsided, I felt renewed, And the sky had never looked so blue.

Being alive had never meant anything to me, The world looked grey, The sunset, though beautiful, looked as if it had no ray.

I felt as though I had no purpose, Being alive felt draining, I was completely miserable, In my heart, I felt this unexplainable aching.

But then I met someone, Someone who gave me a reason to live for, Someone who was my motivation to get up in the morning, Someone who gave me more than I could ever ask for.

As more and more time went by, The emptiness in my soul faded away, And I had less and less reasons to cry. The world as I knew it started to look less grey, Melancholy as a graveyard on a rainy day, no longer existed, It became more distant.

I started looking at the world through colourful rays of sunshine, We were like to souls intertwined.

He had saved my life, Even though he hadn't realized it, It is something that I now feel proud to admit.

Melancholy faded away, And the sky had never looked so blue on that day.

Ten years of fighting cancer… Tears puddle in her eyes, she smiles.

…

Her name is Rivers. She was diagnosed with cancer at the age of five. Since Rivers could remember, she was in a hospital. She was taught there, raised and even made friends there.

At the innocent age of seven, her mother dropped her off after Dairy Queen blizzards trip and never returned. Broken and confused, Rivers waited for her mother beside the white double sliding Baptist Children’s Hospital doors in hopes she might come back.

A single tear rolls down her cheek, now, as she thinks of it all. She’s packing her suitcase at fifteen, the dusty violet box shaped bag has a variety of memories she’s taking away. After years of chemotherapy, she’s finally going to be free, without the chains of therapy. Without struggling to walk and eat. Without being in a white hospital bed. Maybe her hair will finally grow out.

“Rivers,” a small nurse floats in and smiles. “Ah, my sweet girl. I’ll miss you so much!” The nurse pulls Rivers into a tight hug. “You’ll be alright with Mrs. June and Mr. Thomas, yes?”

“Of course, Nurse Jenson,” Rivers hugs the nurse back even tighter. “And I’ll come back and see you, I promise.” Rivers sticks her pinky out and the nurse takes it, shaking gently.

Fifteen minutes later, while Rivers swung her small legs from her chair, watching them go to and fro, the white double doors she’d sat by years ago in wait for her mother slide open.

Mrs. June rushes forward, puddles of joy in her eyes. She hugs Rivers and cries happy tears. “I’m so proud of you, honey!” Her curly, auburn shoulder length hair is down, flourishing as she kneels to hug Rivers. The perfume she wears comforts Rivers from head to toe, she relaxes.

Another fifteen and they’re headed for the shiny new parked car in the hospital parking lot.

“Look!“ River’s lifts her head to the sky, closing her eyes against the sun’s rays. “I’m free!” She squeals and turns in circles, her hands out at her sides, “I’m free, I’m free! No more cancer!”

June laughs, holing Rivers’ hand and spinning alongside her while the birds sang as if they sung just for Rivers. The wind was gentle and welcoming, the day warm and open. The air was crisp and fresh.

Rivers reached up towards the sun as if she might touch it. “And the sky… well the sky has never looked so blue,” she whispered.

His eyes have never looked so brown and his skin has never felt so smooth My smile has never reached so far and I’ve never fallen so soon All I see is him Sitting there across from me Completely oblivious To the way my heart’s been pounding The whole world seems so perfect and still And the sky has never looked so blue

I opened my eyes and breathed again Finally free, finally myself without pain No more nurses, no more bed No more voices in my head I looked around and breathed it all true And the sky never looked so blue

I opened my eyes I have been asleep for a while For how long? I do not know I have tomorrow Yesterday I did not have tomorrow I have today The sounds are inviting to me And the sky had never looked so blue.

Life is a constant. It goes on and on and on Even if it’s witnesses don’t. This is a needle in my side, relieving me of pressure while also paining me. The tears I shed are over a loss I’ve not yet suffered But please, offer your condolences. I sit here writing while the sun burns my skin I try and make metaphors Out of the ordinary A pretentious I label as profound, so do others. This life’s been beautiful The stone underneath holds me up Proving a point Seen as stability is beautiful Isn’t it? I see this perfection Flawed though it is And well, it overwhelms me. I feel the need flood me Poeticise this shan’t I I cross my arms in a prayer, for my salvation One day One day One day I intend to die by my own doing I look up, the sun humms Todays the day Oh and the sky has never looked so blue.