LOVE WILL SUSTAIN YOU THROUGH THE DARKNESS by Clare Smart

If I could step back in time to the day that my young husband was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, what would I tell myself?

What would I tell the busy, ambitious, independent, achievement focused, young woman who was trying to balance starting a family with career and settling into a new community? My younger self who knew as soon as she heard the diagnosis – that the structure of her life and all her dreams were no longer. What would I say as she ran her hand over her pregnant belly and cuddled her husband and 12 month old son?

I would say:

Love Will Sustain You Through the Darkness

by Clare Smart

Love will show up and support you.

In so many forms.

Open all of your doors and windows.

Welcome love in.

Make space for all the colours and shades of love.

The love of friends,

the love of strangers,

the love of your parents,

your love for each other,

the love of and for your children,

your love of the natural world and

the deep love within you for yourself.

It will teach you, surprise you and inspire you.

You will all be carried and connected by love.

And on the darkest, hardest days in the last few weeks on the cancer rollercoaster,

and then when you are navigating through grief,

some of your dearest friends will morph into guardian angels.

They will carry you and help you with exactly what you need.

Terminal cancer is a grey ominous cloud but throughout you and your young family will be showered by rainbows of love.

Grief will be a heavy swirling dark fog but you will find rainbows of joy whenever you look for them.

And when you emerge from the labyrinth of grief, you will find more laughter and love than you can imagine.

Love is the only reality. Let it in.

Pictured is the author, Clare Smart, with her children

Clare Smart became a young widow and single mother to two children under five years of age when her husband died from brain cancer in 2012. Her blog, Rainbows and Rollercoasters, delves into the emotion-full experiences of cancer caring, grieving, solo parenting and then dating again. She is a grateful yogi and every day finds colour, strength and joy by playing at the beach or simply admiring a flower.

~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~

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