Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Crystal (04/24/25)
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TITLE: Prisms of Grace: A Journey Through Loss and Light | Previous Challenge Entry
By C D Swanson
04/26/25 -
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Marie stood in the doorway, her heart heavy as she watched him. “You still have it,” she said softly, stepping inside.
Noah didn’t look up. His focus remained on the baby and the soft, shimmering hues around them. “It was her crystal,” he murmured. “She loved how it caught the light. Said it reminded her of God’s promises—like holding a piece of His beauty in her hands.”
Marie swallowed hard, her throat tightening. “She always did see the world differently,” she said, her voice trembling. “Even when it was hard.”
Noah's eyes were shadowed with grief. “Hard doesn’t even begin to cover it, Marie. She was drowning, and I didn’t see it. I didn’t see her slipping away...”
Marie moved closer, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. “None of us saw it. Not the way we should have.”
He shook his head, his jaw tightening. “She tried to tell me. In her own way, she tried. But I was too caught up in... everything else. And now she’s gone.”
The baby’s cries softened as Noah gently rocked him, the light still reflecting across the walls. Marie hesitated, her chest aching with the weight of what she needed to say.
“Noah,” she began, her voice barely above a whisper. “There’s something I need to tell you. About Lydia. About that night.”
He froze, his gaze snapping to hers. “What about it?”
Marie’s hands trembled as she reached for the back of a chair, steadying herself. “She... she wasn’t herself, Noah. After the baby was born, she struggled more than any of us realized. The joy we thought she felt—it wasn’t there. She was hurting, deeply.”
Noah’s grip on his chair tightened, the light trembling faintly as he shifted. “You’re saying she... she did this to herself?” His voice cracked, the words barely audible.
Marie nodded, tears streaming down her face. “No. Not intentionally. I think she was overwhelmed, lost in a darkness she couldn’t escape. And I—I didn’t see it until it was too late.”
Noah turned away, his shoulders shaking as he held the baby closer. “Why didn’t she tell me?” he whispered, his voice breaking. “Why didn’t she let me help her?”
Marie stepped closer, her own tears falling freely. “She tried, Noah. In her way, she tried. But sometimes, the pain is so loud, it drowns out everything else. Even love.”
The room fell silent, save for the baby’s soft whimpers. Noah reached for the shimmering light again, watching its hues scatter across the room. “She said this was God’s beauty,” he said quietly. “A reminder of His promises. But where was His promise when she needed it most?”
Marie placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch gentle but firm. “His promise was there, Noah. Even in her pain, even in her struggles. And it’s here now—in you, in this baby, in the light that still shines.”
Noah looked at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of anguish and hope. “How do we move forward, Marie? How do we carry this?”
She opened her Bible, her hands steadying as she found the verse she sought. “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18). She looked up at him, her voice steady. “We carry it with grace, Noah. With faith that His light will guide us, through the darkest shadows.”
Noah nodded slowly, his gaze returning to the shimmering colors. He held up the baby, letting the light fill the room around them. The baby stirred in his arms, his cries fading into soft murmurs.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the rays of color began to fade. But the light within them—the light of grace, of hope, of God’s enduring promise—remained.
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Note: This story touches on themes of postpartum depression, a condition that affects many new mothers. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for support. You are not alone, and there is help available through community resources, healthcare providers, and faith-based counseling.” Postpartum depression is more common than many realize. Studies show that approximately 1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression in the year following childbirth. In the United States alone, this equates to nearly 600,000 diagnoses annually. However, it's estimated that nearly 50% of mothers with postpartum depression are not diagnosed by a healthcare professional.
https://www.postpartumdepression.org/resources/statistics/
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It doesn't really make adifference, but I was wondering if Marie is family or friend.
Thank you for sharing encouragement for new moms.
Also, if you're part of the FW's group on Facebook and would like to receive more comments, go to the page and look for a post called Drop a Hint. You can leave a clue and others will hopefully see it and come read and comment on this powerful piece. If you're not a member of the group, you can join! Hope to see you there!