I’m tired of fighting. I’ve been doing it for my whole life. Fighting for my rights to be free from physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Fighting to be brave, fighting depression and anxiety brought on by multiple traumas. I don’t want to have to be called a survivor, resilient, or tough. I just want to exist lightly. Without feeling this constant weight of all of the crises I’ve endured for almost 70 years. I don’t always feel strong even though I know I am. I just wish that I could lay my head down at night and relax into a peaceful sleep without having to battle to keep the intrusive memories and thoughts away. This is my wish. But I’ll still get up, put a smile on my old face, and get going with my day with a positive and hopefully optimistic mindset that I will be okay and things will happen as they’re meant to and I’ll deal with them as they occur. Deep breath.