All That It Takes

By: Jada Bromberg

A smell, A taste, Sometimes that is all that it takes
For thoughts to begin swarming in my head
My emotions to take over even when going to bed
Control, I need to take control, but I can’t
There are times even on a brighter day
When it starts out well until you see me lay
My back to the bed, the couch, the ground
My head is nothing but overwhelmed
What I see is slumped, broken, frowned
Rocks in my head, and fire in my heart
This burning sensation I can’t seem to grip
My stomach is cramped full of worry
You will never be good enough
You don’t ever try hard enough
Telling myself over and over again
All you need to do is make amends
Believe in yourself, love, have hope
Cherished while high up in the clouds
Even at bay and while on the ground
Tears that stream down my face
It does not mean I don’t dismay
This utterly, cruddy, terrible, horrible feeling ---
I am often seen as very focused
My body is there, but my mind is not
What I do is despair this awful thought
That I am human when I feel like a robot
Each day feels like a reloop of the last
To make it different I took off the mask
I wrote songs, and blogs, and finally at last
I chose to make change happen 
A decision to give myself a break
For a time I would just bake, and bake, and bake ---
My accomplishments do not reflect my worth
As a baby we are born to the earth
Life is what we make out of it
Helping hands and a caring friend
A stranger even, who knows, could live in a den
Strength, and courage, and pride is what it takes
I am the one who really makes the stakes
Set achievable goals and do things you enjoy
Never stop trying and don’t be coy
To others, or even to yourself ---
You can try and try to push it away
Even sit with it, but that could cause dismay
Telling you now, you may lose faith
But others will have it, and that is all that it takes.

About the Author:

Jada Bromberg is a 16 year old who attends Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia. She has struggled with clinical depression for years, and is always looking for a way to share her story with others. She enjoys helping other people and has a huge passion for mental health advocacy!