If I could, I would grab my scared 18-year-old self by the cheeks and say: ‘Sweet sweet girl. Do not be afraid. Yes, you will learn to face death in the days to come. But what you will actually do is learn to live. To choose joy. And to find heaven scattered among your days. The days to come may stretch you as though you are a rubber band being pulled to capacity. But you will not snap. You will fly forward with knowledge of the preciousness of life and enough miracles under your belt to believe that anything can happen.’”
**This story was written by Anna McParlan. Follow her journey on Instagram and Facebook.
