by Beamlak Alebel (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)
A close-up photo of a bowl full of acorns. The bowl is engraved with the word “thankful,” and there are acorns scattered in front of the bowl.
Through sleepless nights and heavy days,
You lit my path in countless ways.
With faith and strength, you pulled me through,
Restored my soul, made all things new.
To doctors wise, with healing hands,
Who serve with love in every land—
With knowledge deep and hearts so kind,
You brought me peace and strength of mind.
To the surgeon, calm and true,
Whose steady hands saw me through—
With courage firm and vision bright,
You turned my pain to healing light.
To nurses kind with gentle care,
with whispered prayer—
With watchful eyes and steady grace,
You made the hardest moments safe.
To family strong, who stayed so near,
Who held me close through every tear—
Your endless love, so fierce and true,
Was my sky bright when storms blew through.
To friends who stood through every test,
With laughter shared and hearts at rest—
Your joy and comfort every day
Helped chase the fear and dark away.
To support groups, warm and wise,
Who lift each other’s truths and cries—
You showed me I am not alone,
In every scar, our strength has grown.
Through trials, triumph, joy, and pain,
My gratitude will still remain—
To every soul who walked with me,
I thank you all—eternally.
Image from StockSnap.