I am scared of the dark; yes, you read that right. My 21-year-old (almost 22) self is afraid of the dark. I haven’t always been afraid, though. It is more of an off and on thing that happens. I’ll go through periods where I can sleep with the light off then, for months, I’ll need the light on. I don’t expect anyone to really understand it, it’s just another “thing” I deal with. I also, understand this may sound childish to some of you – and that is okay, but it is a part of my story, and that is something I am learning to be okay with.

I guess for me, “bad” things usually happen at night. The nightmares, happen at night. The seizure I had, happened at night. The screaming and yelling, happened at night. The complete utter loneliness, deepens at night. The anxiety and depression I struggle with, worsens at night and causes me not to sleep. When night falls and the silence begin to fill the air, that is when everything is loud.

I wanted to create a piece with light. One where I can look at during the night and see hope. The, Nightfall Tree, was a piece originally for my living room, but then it came to be so much more than just a piece with branches on it. This piece now hangs in my room and it serves as a unique nightlight. I see so much beauty in it. It gives off light during the night, it allows my room to come alive, and every time I look at it, I am reminded of hope.

This piece (along with my blog and several other things), is part of the Rustic Horseshoe – not many of you know what that means, but if you do, you’ll understand why I keep going and why Rustic Horseshoe hold a special place in my heart.