In a small, sunlit corner of her otherwise sterile hospital room, Ellie’s world unfolded in vibrant streaks across her canvas. With each brushstroke she defied the gravity of her diagnosis, her spirit weaving colors into a tapestry of dreams that refused to acknowledge the somber prognosis of stage four cancer. Her imagination fueled by the dreams she held for her future and the memories that danced in her heart, spilled into the canvas in a riot of color and hope. Every painting was a silent rebellion, a bold declaration of life amidst the unyielding progression of her illness.

          As the night grew dark, the tiredness swept Ellie’s face but she kept painting. Ellie’s hospital room transformed into a vibrant wonderland. Her artwork came to life. The memories on the wall danced and twirled around her. The room was filled with her magical energy, as the colors and shapes seemed to leap off of the walls. In this liminal space Ellie’s artwork was no longer an escape; she found solice and it served as a way for her to relive the memories she can no longer physically live, the ones before she was sick. 

             It was no lie that Ellie’s attention was everywhere. She bounced from one memory to the next, but one particular memory caught her eye. It was a memory of Ellie showing her first painting to her grandmother. They were in a room, similar to Ellies. Tears filled Ellie's eyes as that was the last time she’d spoken to her grandmother. Confusingly, she looked at the memory as it was filled with much laughter. 

“Look grandma! This one’s for you,” Ellie said with much pride in her painting.

Ellies grandmother replied with a bright grin, “It's beautiful darling, just like you.” 

Ellie sighs, “I miss those days grandma, I miss you.”

Her grandma’s voice began to echo in the distance, “Remember life is the art we make of it, even in the briefest moments.”

          Through the paintings, she could revisit the places she has been, the adventures she's had, and the moments she holds dear. Each stroke of the brush becomes a portal to the past, allowing herself in the joy and beauty of those memories. It’s a bittersweet way for Ellie to keep those moments alive and cherish them even in the face of her current circumstances. 

             Ellie continued to paint through the night. With every stroke, smile and tear she began to feel the forgotten sensation of the sun rising. It shone brightly through the window adding life to her rosy cheeks. As the sun grew her vision began to blur, then began to darken. Ellie woke up from her dream. She began to cry as she stared at her paintings in the corner of her dull hospital. She remembered her grandmother's voice and what she said. Suddenly, Ellie’s tears no longer flow with the realization that her paintings would not be allowed so much life without her memories; so Ellie decided to make more, and cherish every moment, every memory,and paint it. By doing this it would fill her room with life.