Steps- A Poem

First steps are always shaky

They’re tentative

But as you keep walking you get stronger and stronger and stronger and stronger and then

All of a sudden

You stop

You don’t pause, you stop

Because until then, you never paused

Life engulfed you like a whirlwind, pulling you and pushing you dragging you in every possible direction until you fall

And when you fall it mocks you

You hear the taunts even when you shut your ears

“You just want attention.”

“You’re too young to feel so negative.”

“You aren’t depressed, it’s all in your head.”

And these voices

Oh, they go on and on and on and on until you’re crying

And you’re no longer trying

Because what’s the point

You still walk because you have no other choice

And every step feels like you’re Sisyphus going on and going on and going on while nothing changes and everything remains the same

They say “Fake it til you make it” so that’s what you do

Every time someone says, “Hey, what’s wrong?”

You shake your head and say “I’m fine.”

“But I’m just trying to-”

“I’m fine.”

“Please don’t push me away-”

“I said I’m fine.”

You whisper, “I’m fine.”

You whisper it like you’re trying to convince yourself that you’re fine when you’re not

But hey,

It’s okay to not be okay

And when you realise that

You take a step again

You’re taking your first step again

And first steps are always shaky

They’re tentative

But as you keep walking you get stronger and stronger and stronger and stronger and this time you’re not walking alone

Every now and then you pause to admire the view

And hey,

You may trip, you may stumble but you won’t fall and you will not crumble because this time

There’ll be someone to catch you