Umer Ayyaz, 7 y/o, was diagnosed with leukemia almost 4 years ago. Some days, his body felt like it belonged to someone else. He didn’t have the energy for loud, bold colors. So he chose soft green and soft blue.

His mandala grew slowly, like a tender thing learning to bloom again. Green for growth. Blue for breath. The simple, repeating patterns were soothing, and every petal felt like a kindness he gave himself.

For Umer, healing wasn’t fast or loud. It was steady. Soft. A quiet reminder that resilience can be gentle, too.