This poem was written in 1993 as I became more aware of the ongoing hurdles I had to clear to stay healthy. Western medicine didn’t help. So I searched and, importantly, never gave up. Yet, I sensed that something deep was going on within my body, especially knowing my family’s history. Thus, I turned to integrative medicine.

Answers came. I found out I was not digesting my food properly, and it showed in my tummy. My stomach pooched out. I was barely eating, yet I looked like I was pregnant, and my inability to digest food was getting worse. Then I found out I had leaky gut syndrome.

But to me, it was just one more thing. Just one more thing to face and accept about myself unconditionally.

Acutely aware, I took on this challenge. I became even braver, stronger, and willing to do anything—anything to get back my smiling self.

My sweet, sensitive body had changed. And so had my telomeres. They were scarcely glowing. (They are a region of repetitive DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes.) And my inability to digest food was getting worse.

This journey of healing started back in 1972. I learned more and more about myself and healing my body in 2001. It is now 2024, and my body is healing and my light is growing brighter every day.

If I can do this, you can too. Take care of yourself and make your light shine.

LUMINOUS LIGHT

The wick of my candle
Still burns,
But throughout
The yearly rainfalls
My light has dimmed
Weaker, dimmer with
Each passing day!
And with each strike of the match,
Its dimly lit light flickers
Lower, way down low!

It once was radiant,
With such a glow,
And, now,
A bent taper
So faint, oh so low!

Its shadow shading
It’s flame fading
Further into darkness!

Suddenly, with a
Sparkle and a shine,
My luminous light
Illuminates the
Translucent
Twinkle of hope!