by Jessica Ebersole
I wrote the following poem in 2014 about my favorite color and how that has been woven into my life over the years. I still like pink but I am more drawn to the oranges and purples now. I hope that you are inspired and encouraged by these words.
Accents of Pink
On a clear March day,
as the sun pushed over the horizon,
I pushed breath out of my lungs,
my lips went
from a blue tint
to pink
fighting for life
at a mere 1 lbs. 7 ounces
Years later,
Pink bows adorned
my wispy hair
as I struggled to
speak and to force my body
onto wobbly legs
ready to see the world around me
Pink casts hugged my legs
and my toes matched
after surgically cutting into my tendons and muscles
to have my time walking like a ballerina
come to an end
The smell of fresh pencils and a new pink folder
signaled the first day of the worst four years of my life:
high school
I fought through those years
and with diploma in hand
looked ahead to more promising times
My new college dorm room
still remained pink
even after all those years
and I entered college a girl
and I graduated two years ago
as a woman
Pink is still constant
but my life has changed
I came out a fighter
and I will continue to fight
for all the opportunities
in my path
Jessica Ebersole is a twenty-something who lives in Chicago and explores life through the eyes of someone with a disability. Jessica has cerebral palsy but she does not let that stop her. She spends her days at a children’s museum and enjoys serving the community in various ways. She loves spending time with family, connecting with friends and photography.