When I was much too young, I spent my life shivering in an oversized jacket
The black slime of darkness slithered in every corner, and the world was coated in a tint of blue
The death of my loved ones were etched in everything my pale eyes settled on
I hid inside the wool fabric, shielding my face when the wind blew too hard
But it was only when I dared to strip it off that I felt the sun
It kissed my forehead, caressed my cheeks
And when the light reached out to me, I hoped I'd see the world in a tint of yellow
But it did me one better
My eyes were stripped of the filters they contrived all together
And I just saw the world for what it was:
Beautiful, tragic, pure, alive
When I breathe in, I can taste the salt in the air
When the wind blows I no longer hide, but I feel the beating of a humming birds wings
See a dandelion carrying someone's dreams
See the beauty in flames
For they destroy in the name of their own survival
I once thought the ocean to be greedy, snatching desperately at my ankles
But now I see that it just wants something to hold onto
The need to be loved
It's at the core of every existence 
What I once saw as a reminder of my family's death
Proved to be a symbol of their life
A sign they were here, rolling with the river
And singing with the nostalgic birds
The world is bursting with color, but I see it in shades of grey
For nothing is black and white
Even cacti boast flowers
Even villains have souls
There is never simply a right or wrong
There is just life
And life is teeming with beauty