I felt it in my heart
and in my soul,
like a great weight
pressing on my chest.
Anxiety is a cruel condition,
and this was something worse.
My vision narrowed,
down to a tiny dot,
and my breath stopped in my throat.
I thought for a moment
that I’d lost consciousness,
but then my body shook
with rasping sobs.
You were there
and you held me
against your chest,
as I soaked your favorite t-shirt
with my tears.
Somehow,
over the rush of blood in my ears,
I could hear you
speaking softly.
“It’s okay.
Let it all out.
I know it feels
like it’s the end of the world
right now,
but trust me,
it will pass.
This is real right now,
so feel what you feel,
so you can feel something else
another time.
This is what it is
right now,
but it’s not forever.”
I didn’t believe you,
but you were right.
A few days,
a few weeks,
a few months,
and life was almost normal.
I never stopped thinking
about such powerful feelings,
moving in and out of our lives,
like thunderstorms,
so transient.
HG – 2021
