This woman speaks to me from across the world. I try to hold it back, I try not to face what I must, and then I am drawn to her songs. The tears fall, the pain starts. I write, and then, for a moment, I am at peace.

This is every day for me. Some days, it is really, really hard to hold on, but I listen to this. I see her smile.  And then, I smile through the tears.

I will likely never meet her, and even if I do, I won’t be able to express what she has done for me. But if the message gets to her, I just want to say, “Thank you. Through the tears, thank you.”