The Lantern Field

At dusk, the field began to glow. Lanterns lifted one by one, each light rising at its own pace. In folklore and modern ritual alike, light is often used as a symbol of release, marking transitions and the letting go of burdens (Eliade 99).

Visual symbolism has also been shown to help people process emotions by externalizing internal states, making abstract feelings easier to release (Malchiodi 18). She watched her lantern drift upward and did not chase it.

Nothing rushed her. Even in imagined worlds, healing respected its own timing.

Works Cited (MLA)
Eliade, Mircea. The Sacred and the Profane: The Nature of Religion. Harcourt, 1959.
Malchiodi, Cathy A. Art Therapy and Health Care. Guilford Press, 2013.