I slowly look up into the syrupy sweet sky, staring into the face of infinity. Clouds wander by once in awhile, making quick stops wherever they can. The innocent birds grasp my attention. They chirp happily, their songs sweeten the air even further. The sun shines bright, its rays blessing all in the domain below it. What a perfect day! Nothing could ruin the perfect facade I had built up; nothing could destroy my happy life.

As soon as the thought drifts from my mind, They come. One by one, two by two, three by three, their hands slowly crawl up my throat, grasping it. They’re gasping for air, their lungs drying up as if I’m the one who is taking their oxygen away. But they don’t stop. By dear God they don’t and will not stop. Their gasping, reassuring voices reaching my ears, and whisper sweet promises of a better life. They cover my eyes. No sight. “You’re fine, you have nothing to worry about.” They cover my nose. No sense of smell. “You’re okay, you’ve gotten through this before.” They plug my ears tightly. No sound. “Just be happy and make yourself happier for once”. Their hopeful, encouraging words echoing which now defines my life, defines who I am– who I’m meant to be. The silent one that should speak out more, the one who should make myself happier, the one that should not be silent. At least that’s what they’re telling me. And the voices tell me, “just get over it, you have an easy life, there is nothing wrong with you.”

All at once they stop. The silence is gone, and a tiny fragment of the voices remain. My world, the beautiful blue infinity everywhere… my feet firmly planted upon the ground– my mind and soul continue to live in my perfect world. I am fine and I have gotten over it.

The solution to my third panic attack of the day was found within those words made of hope. Which now inspire my every thought and action to live a happy life devoid of any stress and anxiety. My life, myself, and my world is whole again. The supportive words of my peers and my family patched up the holes that my panic attack had left in its’ destructive path. And the silence that I had choked on? Gone, poof! With just those words, I have become unbreakable.