Gwen Pederson, Writing Portfolio

I see my younger self in you
I see the confusion and fear in your eyes
as your body fights your mind
I watch you shake and cry
begging for someone to look after you-
someone who understands
exactly what you’re going through
Your heart beats uncontrollably
Your breathing is too fast
I hold you closely in my arms
and promise this won’t last,
Not forever, anyway
You’ll learn and grow and change
But for now, until that comes,
I’ll help you breathe and rearrange your thoughts
Promise you a better tomorrow
I’ll rub your head and hold your hand
and pretend my heart doesn’t fill with sorrow
as I think of younger me
Shaking, scared, lonely
wishing I had someone who cared-
someone who understood
what it was to live in fear of your own mind
I try to leave those thoughts behind
as I hold you in my arms
And although it makes me sad
I never want you to feel bad or guilty
I simply want to give you
everything I wish I had