The Sigh of Relief

It’s the gasp you take after holding your breath.
Sudden,
Awakening.
The stinging in your lungs is over.
You are free from that watery trap,
That long agonizing treatment
After years of feeling ill
Finally ending.

It is freedom to walk after being trapped in a wheel chair
Or chains being broken after days in a dungeon.
You can dance again
Speak again
See again.
The longing for a better life is no more.
The time for the light to reach you has come.
Like magic in a moment,
You are rescued from a cave.
Hope is restored.
Peace fills your soul.

Take your first step forward.
Lift yourself from the frozen cave.
You never have to go back there again.
But, new trials lie in the distance.

Despite the seemingly horrid unknown,
You are strong enough
To hold your breath
And dive into the water again.