 The grandeur of her beauty once blinded even the worthy. A girl so bright the sun was envious. Her smile could illuminate the darkest nights. Her presence lit up the cosmos. She was the light. She was a truly radiant girl. Key word, she was. May she one day find that same light. Because now, all she sees is the dark. For a few years, she became a shell of her former self. The darkness had nearly consumed her. She was a lost soul, a garden without water, who slowly withered. Her reflection fought against her every time she sought, and time was running out. At least, she thought. The days were long, but the nights were longer. Her mind ran from dusk to dawn. She thought about the days that left her, the people who hurt her, and these thoughts only led to tear-filled nights. The once radiant girl wanted nothing more than to search the world for her spark that she had lost. She felt like it had been ripped away from her, before she even knew it. With her spark gone, her grip on this world was loosening. But light is never truly absent. So, she made a decision to perform one small task every single day. Most days, she felt shackled to her bed, so she would make an effort to leave it. She would go outside, and she would see the rest of the world. Instead of the white walls of her room that were often suffocating, she would leave her home every day. On the first day, it took all of her might, but by the tenth, she was up before the birds. These tasks slowly became habits. These habits gave her a glimmer of hope, and it was proof of her conviction. Along with that, she would remind herself every day of her own work, and twice on the days that she felt worthless. When this sick world tried to push her down, she fought. All by herself. In a few months, the girl began to shine, just a little bit. Her smile had a bit of warmth to it again. Her aura that was once so powerful had dwindled, but now it was different. And about a year after that, she met someone. We yearn for companionship. It's in our nature, and she felt ready to rediscover love. This girl that she had met by the name of Luna was someone that needed her. More than the once radiant girl needed Luna. Luna was someone whose flame had been put out. You see, Luna wasn't radiant. Not now, not ever. Luna wasn't as confident, and she relieved herself to be not as strong as the once radiant girl. Luna was more like water. Her energy was calm, and her passion was quiet. Luna had a big heart, and found herself in the same position as the once radiant girl all those years prior. Luna was unable to care about what she once loved and unable to find that courage. She was hurting. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull herself together. Not by herself. Luna found great shame in that, and that pushed her further into her own shell. The radiant girl poured all of her time and her energy into Luna. Day in and day out, the girl would remind Luna of her worth. Luna, you are strong. Luna, you are smart. Luna, you are worthy. Luna was an artist and a writer, and the once radiant girl would provide her with a brand new canvas, a new page, and inspiration. But even then, Luna felt like she couldn't find her words. The radiant girl wasn't much of a writer herself, but she did manage to say this. You and I are like the moon and the sky, inseparable. Your quiet ferocity invites my calm. I adore you and I adore your spirit. Your brilliance inspires me. Your passion is so quiet, but speaks volumes. You are you and I am I. You are the moon and I am the sky. And Luna continued. With her, I feel warmth and security. All of the barriers I've set up, she's shattered. I feared exposing myself, but with her, I feel peace. She is the rain that hits my window at night. This rain is forceful, but consistent. She is the ocean who sways back and forth. The ocean rages, but it never falters. Her light guides me through the storm. With her, I feel at home. With her, I understand that love is encouraging the growth of another, while they encourage yours. The radiant girl might never be as radiant as she once was. Her light now shines in a different way. She gained confidence and purpose. She would never underestimate her own strength ever again. I said that Luna needed her more than she needed Luna. But in reality, they helped each other. Luna would teach her that she is capable of love and of receiving love. Most importantly, Luna reminded her that she is worthy of it. An idea that became so foreign to her. Before the radiant girl knew it, she would become everything that girl in her bed didn't know she could be. Once again radiant.