To Helen

You taught me what pain was.

You showed me how hollow the darkness could be

And how it would consume every light

Tucked in each corner of our soul,

From the brightest to the faintest.

You shared me the unbearable loneliness.

You showed me how a bird, once wounded when young,

Still could not fly until the end;

How happiness could die and never be revived.

Yet, the biggest lesson you gave me is

No matter how bitter life tastes on our tongues,

No matter how broken we have come to be,

No matter how unhappy we might feel,

We can still be a great gift for others,

For it is through your bitterness and pain,

Your brokenness and grieve, your loneliness and fear,

I learn to be grateful.

Helen Ryan (RIP Oct 6, 2012)

“Thank you for sharing me your precious life. Hope you finally realize that you have been a gift and I am sorry for not being there in your darkest hour. May the Lord welcome you and comfort you with everlasting joy and peace.”