I look toward the sky
As evening begins to gather…
Layers of pale blue, soft gray,
And rose spilling across the horizon,
Colors so gentle
They seem to beg me,

Set it down.

Set aside the fear that has wrapped itself
Around me like a python,
Tightening its grip
Until even my heart forgets
How to breathe.

Fear is an evil thing
When it takes up residence
Inside the mind.

It comes in the waking hours
Without invitation,
Turning ordinary thoughts into daggers,
Each one sharpened against the spirit.

I wonder sometimes
If fear knows my name.

It seems to.

It waits for me in the morning,
Patiently standing at the edge of consciousness.

Only in sleep does fear seem to leave me.

There, for a few precious hours,
It wanders somewhere else.

But with the sunrise comes the familiar weight.

The tightening.
The questions.
The endless what-ifs.

If only I could hear a voice above the noise…
The quietest words a frightened heart
Could ever hear:
You are safe.
You do not have to carry this alone.
Rest.

Or the simplest touch, an outstretched hand,
letting me know I am not alone...
A hand upon my shoulder, allowing the light of hope
To enter my soul.

And maybe, for just a moment,
The sky would become enough.
The rose would soften into blue.
The gray would drift away.

And I would remember that fear may visit me,
But it does not own me.

And somewhere beyond the last colors
Of sunset, I believe
There is a hand reaching out to me,
Helping to steady my troubled heart.

Is it you reaching out your hand?

Michele Luckenbaugh

As a wife, mother, grandmother, and patient living with chronic illness, I understand firsthand the importance of having the patient’s story truly heard within the often-impersonal structure of corporate healthcare. This experience has led me to become a patient advocate, serving on several committees within my healthcare system where I represent the patient voice and work to bring greater understanding and compassion to the healthcare experience.

I have published numerous articles on KevinMD, sharing the patient perspective and advocating for the importance of patient narratives in healthcare.

I am also a regular participant in Columbia University’s virtual Narrative Medicine sessions, where close attention, careful examination, and the power of personal stories are explored.

More recently, I have found my voice as a poet and begun sharing my work on Medium, using poetry as another way to reflect on illness, healing, humanity, nature, and life.