As far as I can find, this is the last picture I have of my father and me. Not too long after, he died. He left a gaping hole, one I tried in vain to fill with friends, success, and being a good little girl. When I was at my most desperate at fifteen years old, Jesus saw fit to rescue me under a lanky evergreen tree. I still have an ache, but I am healthier because of His rescue.

This piece is for Ash Wednesday, and it represents loss and grief. But is also reminds me that God can even use the death of a loved one to grow us and make us more empathetic towards those who shoulder very tangible grief.