Surviving this thing called life

Surviving This Thing Called Life Anxiety coils in my chest, A tightness I can’t name, Whispers of doubt, Cold fingers tracing my every breath. Fear crouches at my doorstep, A shadow that never leaves It waits, it listens, It tells me I am not enough. Worries like a river, Constant, unyielding, Carrying me to shores I never meant to reach. I try to trust the world, But the echoes of betrayal Ring in my ears, Each step a question, Each smile a mask. I am trying Trying to find the balance Between hope and survival, Between wanting more And fearing the worst. I wake each day And hold on to the smallest things: A breath, a moment of calm, A laugh that breaks through the fog. I remind myself I have survived this far, With trembling hands And a heart that still beats. I am learning That it is okay to be afraid, That even the fiercest storms Can break against a soul That refuses to be drowned. This life This endless, aching life It asks me to keep going, And I do. I do, Even when it hurts.