These Insufficient Words

Stress

A little ball of emotion

Begins as an atom

That weights my stomach like uranium––

It's minuscule, but I can tell it's there.

It builds so gradually I almost don't notice. 

I realize I can't do something 

as well as someone else. 

An atom joins the other.

I notice that I'm not as pretty

 as another girl. 

A few more atoms join the party.

My parents put more 

more

more 

pressure on my 

academic success

and forget to see my

emotional needs.

The atoms increase a hundredfold. 

Soon, the atoms have filled my insides

and begun to swim

my veins.

The mass slowly, carefully 

makes its way to my brain 

and begins to choke it.

The uranium stress atoms 

poison my thoughts

my words

and my actions. 

I do everything for success

so that everyone else will be pleased by me.

But soon, the weight becomes

too much.

Too much.

Too much 

and I begin to flail in life's ocean

start to sink

start to drown.

I reach out for any hand

to rescue me

but all I see are

disapproving faces. 

The last thing I hear 

before I sink

down 

down 

down

 beneath the waves

Is

"You failed."

And I give myself up to the deep.

Stress is hard on its own, guys. But when someone puts as much or more pressure on themselves as others do to them, it becomes so much harder. Mental struggles make it even worse. The next time someone doesn't succeed as much as maybe you thought they would, don't let them drown. Help them out. ❤️