Valley of the Shadow of My Anxiety

Yesterday the world lost an incredible talent in the passing of Robin Williams. This brilliant soul who wrestled with depression found himself unable to fight another battle and chose to lay down his weapons so he could enter rest. So many of us fight back against depression, anxiety or any number of other battles in our minds but do so privately. I’m choosing to share a bit of my own journey with this poem because I know I am not alone and hope someone else feels less alone in reading.

I walk in the Valley of the Shadow of Death
Inky black creeping
Dark velvet cloaking
Anxiety choking

I wrestle to breathe,
To see,
To feel sane against the tension of it’s tentacles pulling at my psyche
I will fear no evil

I hate this evil for robbing me of my peace
It’s overwhelming
But I will fight
It cannot win,
And I cannot lose
So I push back at the darkness with my light
casting shadows on these Valley walls

GET OFF OF ME,
God is with me,
I cry
Repeating it like mantra
Until words become chant and chant becomes truth
And truth becomes balm
I am centered

I’m am drained
Weary, tired wanderer
Mental muscles peaked
Binding wounds in my mind battle after battle
Surely mercy will follow me all the days of my life
Its the only weapon I have to fight
This war against my anxiety