And here you are living despite it all.” I found these words resounding heavily in my spirit one day after I had logged into my Instagram account.

Scrolling through a barrage of meaningless quotes, colorful pictures of flowers and the usual sponsored nonsense, I found a plain simple quote on a white background.

I stopped and reread it several times.

Each time I mouthed Ru-pi Kaur’s words, an overwhelming warmth and sense of accomplishment welled up in my soul.

I was experiencing a life shift, a curve ball, a detour. A season of depression was upon me, one I had experienced many times before, yet this time, it was hard to shake its grip.

We have all been there. One where love, life or relationships overwhelm us.

I quickly looked up her books on Amazon and-bought her second collection, “the sun and her flowers.” This book has become my favorite poetry bible.

Life in little words

Her poetry focuses on love, loss, trauma, healing, female empowerment and self-esteem. Yet it is her ability to paint a vivid picture of life in little words that drew me in.

It’s not what she says. It’s how she makes you feel.

In a short time, virtually seconds, you are moved from emotion to emotion. Each poem opens and closes, leaving you feeling transparent and healed.

Her poignant and memorable words give you a sense of familiarity.

You recognize quickly that Rupi Kaur has herself experienced all of the truths she writes about. The best part of it is she mirrors your exact thoughts, your exact emotions.

A poet’s origins

After staring at the words and the author’s name for several minutes, I decided to goggle her.

I found out that Rupi Kaur was an Indian-Canadian, poet, author of two collections of amazing poetry and a New York Times bestselling author.

It is ironic that Rupi Kaur’s rise to fame did not come from her words, it came from her body.

While still a student at the University of Waterloo, Ontario in 2015, Rupi garnered thousands of followers on the internet when she uploaded a photo to Instagram of herself lying in bed, menstruation bloodstains on her clothes and sheets. The photo was removed twice, yet Kaur fought back.

She wrote: “I will not apologize for not feeding the ego and pride of misogynist society… when your pages are filled with countless photos/accounts where women (so many who are underage) are objectified. pornified and treated less than human.”

Isn’t that what we all wish to do daily? Fight back when seasons of depression come to visit?

When life wields an unexpected blow?

Rupi Kaur has shown us how to gracefully battle in each piece included in “the sun and her flowers.” She shows us that acceptance and humility are not signs of weakness, but of courage.

She shows us that sometimes, its okay to acknowledge the hurt, just don’t allow it to stay indefinitely.