i went to
a store
that sold books
for very little money.
i browsed the aisles,
running my hands
across the spines
of the dusty books.
at the end
of an aisle
sat a book,
brightly colored
and eye catching.
i picked it up,
reading the title.
"this star
won't go out".
i had heard
of it before
but i never
would have thought
it would have such
an impact on my life.
this beautiful girl,
esther earl,
was diagnosed with
thyroid cancer
and died from it
when she was 16.
the book
was a collection
of her diary entries.
this beautiful dead girl
taught me more
than anybody
on this earth.
i learned
just how valuable
life truly is.
i learned
life is too short
to be unhappy.
there is always something
to smile about.
nothing,
whether it be
cancer,
depression,
anxiety,
heartbreak,
can decrease
the value
of a life.