“Behind every dark cloud, there is
a silver lining…”
Lying
down on the hospital’s white bed, De’Alizea ruminated about the ominous overcast
that seemed more threatening every minute. She was scarred to the point of no
return by hardships that had blighted her innocent childhood since that fateful
day. The world around her had turned indescribably darker since she was
diagnosed with cancer and she was constantly battling this inescapable rage for
two years. Sitting on a plastic chair beside her was her mother, who must have wept
herself to sleep.
Her
still-awake sister offered her a weak smile, “How was your nap, Liz?”
“I’m fine, Chelsea.”
That was an
obvious lie. She knew Dr. Martin would announce the results of her surgery
soon. She prayed hard that there was a miracle solution to all this.
The door
slid open, indicating the doctor’s arrival. His face was neutral as he recounted
her progress, but became solemn when he reported the results.
“I’m really
sorry… we’ve done all we could. De’Alizea may only have another few hours at most.”
Her
depressed mood switched to full-blown shock. Another few hours... at most? Her mind was in a frenzy, trying to
accept her imminent demise.
Chelsea
could sense her panic and moved in closer to her, squeezing her arm
comfortingly. Only when the aftershock had receded did De’Alizea realise how
much time had gone wasted while she was in denial.
Her intense
fear propelled her to seek comfort online, where she could remain anonymous.
She posted her worry onto the outside world, hoping to spread love to others
before the end engulfed her.
A message
popped up, from Heaven’s Child:
“If you feel
the need to share something with someone, don’t hold it back.”
Those kind words aroused in me a poignant response, so
I told her my story. As my consciousness faded, I marvelled at how the power of
empathy can surrealistically bond two strangers. If that message were from
heaven, delivered through a human soul, I feel blessed by that silver lining in
my last minutes among the dark clouds.
