The Storm

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“Run before the storm hits and find shelter in the lord”

Well, when I was here

In this pew

Trying my hardest

To be perfect

I was in the biggest storm of my life

I was stranded

And helpless

And no one was coming to save me

I ran to my parents—

“Pray harder”

I ran to my friends—

“Just leave if you’re unhappy”

I ran to the Bible—

“You’ve done this to yourself”

I ran to God—

Silence.

I was alone

And I was scared

And I knew no one would come to save me

So I looked at the storm

And I put up my hood

And I ran into the downpour

My clothes were soaked through

I fell on the pavement

Skinned my knee

The skin of my hands was peeling

Bleeding

My feet were blistered and aching

I got up

I kept moving

I lost my jacket—

It didn’t help much anyway

My eyes were clouded from rain

I could only hear the roar of the storm

Only feel the ache in my bones

Only smell the blood on my hands

And then

The ran slowed

I looked up

I saw the sun through the clouds

Small, but bright

I kept moving

And then

Suddenly

The rain stopped

And I was still there.

I realized—

“I made it.”

“I survived.”

“It didn’t kill me.”

I wept.

My hands still bleeding

My feet still aching

But the feelings meant more

They meant I was alive

They meant I wouldn’t forget

Wouldn’t go back

Wouldn’t back down

And now

I keep moving.