Sonder

Depression. People think depression is just being sad, but it's not. It's waking up tired, even after sleeping all night. It's smiling in public and feeling empty inside. It's feeling heavy for no clear reason at all.

I look in the mirror and see my face, but I don't always recognize myself. I pretend I'm okay so no one worries, but pretending is exhausting. The hardest part is feeling alone even when I'm not.

But I'm still here. Even on the days when it hurts just to breathe, I'm still here. And maybe that means I'm stronger than I think.