Concealed in the shadows of the heart or within the glaring beams of the world, thoughts that morph into words yearn to break free. They desire to be heard and to be embraced by others.

Yet, these words must initially muster the bravery to be articulated, emerging from the depths where they have been concealed by fear, hurt, or skepticism. For if they stay unvoiced, do they actually exist?

Indeed, they do exist. They stir within the space that separates the tangible from the intangible, between shadow and illumination. They endeavor to escape, longing for liberation from the shackles of silence.

From the fissures and nooks of the spirit, courage is unearthed, followed by a gradual release of breath. Initially, a word or two … maybe three … transitions from the depths to a space of clarity.

A sense of relief washes over, as if a burden has been eased. In the exchange of the genuine and unrefined, the soul begins to revive … still incomplete, but less tormented.

And for the moment, that suffices.

Michele Luckenbaugh is a patient advocate.