Ravens and Rainbows

Book excerpt: I am in every raven and rainbow you see. We'll see each other again before you know it. It's time for me to sleep now. Goodnight, Mommy. It's time to say goodnight. On July 22, 2018, fifteen-year-old L Grey swallowed a bottle of prescription pain killers, and closed her eyes for the last time. Some would say she took her life, but it could be more aptly said that she took her life back. Vanessa, L's mother, tells the story of her daughter's incredible battle with a painful, chronic condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), and her unwavering commitment to be a voice for social justice. Told through L's unedited writing and Vanessa's own experiences, "Ravens and Rainbows" leads us to places we don't take ourselves; it gives voice to the LGBTQ+ community, explores the pain of losing a child, the relentlessness of an incurable disease, and the ongoing spiritual relationship of mother and late daughter. Vanessa and L, amidst devastating circumstances, teach us how to triumph spiritually when everything else is lost.