Flower

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A flower cannot grow alone.

It must find soil to have a home.

It starts as a seed, it probably won’t survive.

The odds are great the seed will die.

It’s a small chance but the seed succeeds.

It must steal sunlight and water from the tenacious weed.

With hope and care the seed begins to sprout.

It must fend off the occasional drought.

After a while the seed is a fully-grown stem.

Mother Nature can no longer extinguish it on a whim.

The stem will contain an invigorating power.

On it will grow a beautiful flower.

The flower will soon shoot its seeds into the air.

Once again the tenacious weed must beware.

Just Like That

Confused. Miserable. Alone.  Scared.

So, so scared.

The worst how empty she felt.

Where was her mother, her father, her sisters, her brothers?

Was she in their thoughts? Was it only her?
Soon, she could think of nothing. Her mind drew blank.

She faced the white, chalky wall atop her tall bunk bed, the railings red and bright. Her lungs were heavy. One breath in. One breath out.

Was this what her 13 years of life had come to?

Another deep breath out.

She closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would take over. She whispered a prayer to God that someone would find her, that she might find herself.

How silly she was to think she was alone in the midst of this struggle. How narrow minded, how blind to the future she was.

Because beneath her, with an obnoxious rustle of the sheets, a skinny girl with young, wispy hair and her insistent tapping, made it clear that she was not alone.

And just like that, without words, the little girl gave her the strength she needed.