Sunlight

If there is a takeaway I have greatly benefited from this season, it must be the art of gratitude. And even saying that makes me sad because gratitude should be something ingrained in my skin for every little moment, every single one, good or bad. My mind has been bogged down by heavy thoughts about the world. I am lucky now to be able to think of things to do at home, to be able to write a story from them, to be able to try a trending coffee recipe, to be able to play with my kids, to be comfortable at home and have my family safe with me, to be able to use the Internet, to be able to follow an online workout routine, and the list goes on. And it doesn’t go on by the route of showing off, but by gratitude & how ashamed I am to ever utter a complaint about staying home. Today, I saw the sunlight from my front porch, and I thought of you:

• the ones saving lives while risking your own

• the ones separated from your loved ones while doing so

• the ones wondering if you may have enough to feed your beautiful big families

• the ones wondering about your jobs

• the ones wondering about your businesses

• the ones who may not get to visit your ailing parents

• the ones who may not feel safe at home and have nowhere to run to

• the ones who are pregnant and wondering if birth plans may change

• the ones battling mental illnesses

• the ones who are scared

• and you, the one feeling all sorts of things & wondering if they’re valid

I thought of you as I saw the sunlight from my front porch, because that sunlight came after a heavy rain. And I also thought of you because the most vulnerable parts of your hearts battling all of these now; they are shining bright. And all of your feelings; they are valid. And so are all the ways you cope. The rain may seem the heaviest now, but trust that the sunlight may appear when it’s ready. And more than anything, trust in that vulnerable part of your heart shining bright in its rays of strength and bravery. If the Almighty can change so many things in the world now simply through something so small that we can’t even see with our naked eyes, trust that He can easily help us through it too.