The Anchor Who Longs to Be Held

Carrying battles alone while holding others steady.

Many see me as brave — an unwavering optimist who carries stress with quiet strength. But behind the smiles and the light I try to radiate, there lives a silent contradiction. I face most of my battles alone — not in secrecy, but in silence — because I fear becoming a weight on someone else’s shoulders.

To most, l appear completely fine, as though my struggles are easily tamed, mere shadows I can chase away without effort. And so, without meaning harm, some laugh it off, thinking it doesn’t cut deep — that I am untouched.

Lately, l’ve been pouring myself into lifting someone else up, trying to be the anchor they need… when truthfully, I am quietly longing for someone to be that for me. I’ve become the person I so desperately need for myself.