One more day

Tears filled my eyes as I gazed at my mom. She reassured me, "It's going to be okay." Despite the pain from her wounds, she whispered to herself, "Just one more day." Deep down, she understood how unkind the world could be, yet she sat up. I could see her suffering, yet she hid her emotions, accustomed to the pain. I thought to myself that she seemed on the brink of breaking, yet somehow she found the strength to promise herself one more day. Was she naive? Was she deceiving herself? How could she harbor so much hope when all I could perceive was pain and despair? Our eyes met, and with a smile, my mother said to me, "Just one more day."