There was a time when we weren’t like this-
when we didn’t feel like the world
was holding our head under water,
just waiting for us to run out
of breath.
There was a time, I’m sure of it,
even if we can’t remember it now-
when depression and anxiety weren’t daily companions,
when we didn’t long for the past nor
worried about the future,
when we were fully present
and didn’t numb away the pain.
There was a time.
But that time is gone and what’s left is now.
Maybe it’s best to stop thinking about what once was.
Maybe it’s best we learn to embrace
our darkness and sharp edges
and thank them for keeping us safe
and getting us
this far.
A.P. Bastian 