Who’d have thought, this time last year.

That I would be among you here.

I’d hide at home this winter time.

Trying to escape what I might find.

I’d run and run but get nowhere.

The feelings inside too much to bare.

Anxiety held it’s grip on me.

No matter how much I tried to flee.

The storm around me grew and grew.

Things were getting much worse, I knew.

It felt like I was missing.

From reality I was slipping.

I’d question if I was really there.

I’d look around me, and blankly stare.

Could I break free from this storm?

Could I ever return to some sort of norm?

The storm threw everything at me.

It seemed that there was nowhere to flee.

Finally I decided enough was enough.

I’d head towards this storm, no matter how tough.

I wouldn’t hide or run away.

I’d say to my thoughts, you can stay.

I’d make anxiety my friend, not my foe.

And to my new life I’d begin to say hello.

I sailed into the storm and not away.

And slowly I got better day by day.

I was knocked about from side-to-side.

It wasn’t easy when I didn’t hide.

But as I got closer to the centre,

I realised things were getting better.

Then it started to become clear.

That there wasn’t actually any storm here.

The waters here were smooth and calm

I was no longer afraid of constant harm.

So I sailed on into the sun.

And continued the new life that I had begun.