This year has been filled to the brim with hardships. Yet amidst all of the turmoil, I have learned a few valuable lessons. I believe that we’re allowed to feel the pain this year has brought us, but we should also bask in the new wisdom we have gained. Although this year has been difficult to get through, it has provided me with the space to develop my art. And in turn, my art has provided me with a shoulder to cry on.

Primarily, I have learned the value of appreciating my art form. This year, I have used poetry to get through my hardest days and to appreciate the easier ones. Although this year has tested my patience and perseverance, it has also provided me the space to strengthen my art. Sonnets and couplets have guided me through the times that I’ve felt as if my life was overbearing. They held my hand as I cried and they held me tightly when I felt numb to the worldly pressures. This stormy year has loomed over my daily life, haunting me from above. And every time I thought that the sun had managed to shine through, it was a lightning strike in disguise. Yet, through this unpredictable storm of a year, my art has flourished. My flowery poems have blossomed under the harsh weather, which I’m grateful for.

When people I really care about were hurting and there was nothing I could do to help them, I turned to my poetry. My words cradled my sobbing self in their arms and comforted me. This feeling of helplessness has echoed through my mind throughout the pandemic, where the people I care most about are hurting so deeply, yet all I can do is look on from afar. I felt as if I was drowning in an ocean of their pain while trying to stay afloat in my own struggles. I was able to convey these feelings through poetry, which helped me get through it all. The people I care about are slowly healing, and I’m learning how to cope with my own struggles as well, with the help of my art.

My poems have gotten me through some of my hardest days, yet they have also provided me with the space to grow and appreciate the small moments of joy. Although this year has been a whirlwind of emotions, it also provided me with an outlet to escape into. I escape into my words and I use beautiful imagery to convey the sadder themes in my life.  I thank this year for providing me with a space to grow in my art form and giving me the opportunity to develop my passion for writing.