Peace. 

Through all of the chaos and heartache and pain, peace. 

4:50 am, west wing, UMASS. The snow is gently falling outside, covering the world in a quiet blanket of snow. 

Peaceful, calm, quiet.

A gentle beep cuts the silence every 1.7 seconds, and the sound of the oxygen filtering through her nostrils provides the world with a little bit of white noise, 


You are beautiful, and so is she. I watch as you gently look in her eyes, calm assurance of safety, calm assurance that you are here, that it’s okay.

Your strength is beautiful, magnificent. there is no other word that could describe it, or you. 

I watch, as her hands gently stroke yours and her eyes close. A quiet and delicate but almost frantic attempt to memorize the lines, the curves, everything. To remember you. Because she does remember you, just not your name. 

A wave of peace fills the room, fills your eyes, fills her eyes. “It’s okay, just take a nap.” 

Oh, dear one . You are so beautiful, so wonderful, so lovely. And your courage inspires me beyond belief. Your courage, and your ability to face these trials fresh and new each day. Your beautiful peace with which you face each day, after each day has given you a reason not to. 

You have courage, dearest, as does she. 

And I watch as you draw on her courage, I watch as with each gentle stroke of her fingers she gives you more and more, not withholding anything, she knows, love, that even through her frailty you need her now more than you ever have before. 

Through the chaos, peace.