The Invisible War

Every morning, a battlefield awaits

Not of guns and tanks, but of racing thoughts and trembling hands

Anxiety, my constant companion

Uninvited, unwelcome, yet ever-present

My heart pounds like a war drum

As I face the simple act of leaving my bed

Each task, a mountain to climb

Every interaction, a minefield to navigate

The world outside my door

A cacophony of potential disasters

What ifs and maybes swarm like locusts

Consuming peace before it can take root

Yet, I rise

Shaky legs carry me forward

Into a day that feels like a gauntlet

Of imagined horrors and real challenges

Breathing becomes a conscious act

In, out, in again

A mantra against the panic

That threatens to swallow me whole

Small victories are hard-won treasures

A phone call made, a meeting attended

Each a battle fought and won

In this endless, unseen war

Night falls, bringing temporary armistice

Tomorrow, I'll fight again

For this is my life, my journey

A warrior in an invisible battle

I am tired, oh so tired

But I am here, I am trying

And in this struggle

I find my quiet strength

Anxiety does not define me

Though it colors my world

I am more than my fears

A survivor, day after day