"Resplendent" by Annabell Christensen

There once was a window 

clear, whole, and untouched. 

Like us at the beginning. 

Life looked so simple and safe 

But nothing beautiful stays unbroken forever. 

 

 Time came, and with it, change. 

Love bloomed, then faded.

 People left. Plans fell apart. 

We made mistakes, endured heartbreaks, 

And the cracks began to show. 

 

 We thought breaking meant ruin 

That we’d never be the same again. 

But like stained glass we were shattered by the storms of life, 

We weren’t destroyed 

 

With every experience, another piece found its place. 

Sadness gave us depth. 

Joy scattered warmth. 

Failure taught us strength. 

Grief carved compassion into our hearts. 

 

What was once smooth and untouched 

Became a mosaic of color and meaning. 

And when light shines through it now, 

It doesn’t pass through perfection 

It dances through the damage. 

 

We begin to see: 

We are not less because we’ve broken. 

We are vibrant 

We are authentic 

We are alive. 

 

Life isn’t about staying whole. 

It’s about being willing to rebuild, 

To let the light in, 

And to see beauty in every shattered part. 

 

The more we break, 

The more we shine. 

And that is what makes us art.