By Manasi Manchanda
Explaining my depression was downright the most difficult task I had to do...
As transitory sadness, lack of friends and escapism it was repeatedly misconstrued.
Anxiety ruthlessly held me a hostage inside of my house, inside of my bed...
Insomnia swept me in its arms each night while I battled the voices inside my head.
I don’t want your good advice to divert my mind or reasons why I'm alright...
My smile just a reflection of politeness while inside me a constant battle I fight.
And all those nights you told me to leave my laptop, get more sleep, give my mind some rest...
Oh, how I wish I could sleep, but I was busy avoiding confronting the empty side of my bed.
Don’t tell me that I'm making something out of nothing and that I'm better than this...
For depression wasn’t a choice I made but a disease in the form of a curse that had held me by the wrist.
You ask me if I'm lonely and you think I'm lying when I tell you I'm not alone...
For depression is like an uninvited roommate living with me even before I had ever known.
Humans ought to make mistakes mom said, so for all your judgments today I'm forgiving...
How conveniently you think that I'm afraid of dying, but trust me in this world I'm afraid of living.