Deep in the stormy clouds we carry, there is some amount of relief in silence. There is this unexplainable hunger for darkness. Not the kind that rains evil on our souls, but rather the darkness that gives us a much needed exhale from the breath we’ve been holding tightly in our chests for so long. The taughtness our lungs carry everywhere, strained and barely able to to sustain any more than what it has relentlessly endured.

Eventually, there must be some sort of relenting, though. If we never breathe, we are damning ourselves.

So breathe, I say. You’ve been given breath for a reason.

If the light is too bright for your eyes, then take a step back. Allowing yourself relief doean’t mean going further than you’re able. Sometimes stepping back into the shadows can be a blessing. Just make sure you keep someone with you.

And if you can’t speak, then weep on a shoulder that will willingly and gently receive every last drop. Breathe in, breathe out. Inhale and exhale. And repeat however many times you need.

It does more than you think.