I remember walking slowly and growing tired easily. Those were the earliest signs that something was wrong. The answers came years later when I was diagnosed with a life threatening illness and to break my heart even more, so was my sister. This story is the beginning; it captures the years I spent in survival mode, the years where I held my precious life in my tired hands, protecting it from storms that I couldn't hide from. Writing became my escape, even if only temporary. These simple words became a light in a place where it didn't exist. I hope after reading this you understand that it's okay to feel your pain. It's okay if you have to go through the darkness a thousands times, it's okay if you take a thousand tumbles, but I hope you always find the courage to look for the light, even if you're afraid it's hiding somewhere you'll never find.