War Stories

I know that you have your bad days

Where you feel like

Nothing is going the way you want it to

And everything feels wrong

Like you should just give up

Because what’s the point of holding on

When it’s all for nothing

You think that you’re the only one

In the whole damn world

That has it this hard

God, it’s not fair

Why does everyone else look so happy?

I wish I could be as happy as them

To say that you cannot be sad

Because others have it worse

Is like saying you cannot be happy

Because others have it better

And there is no comparison

For the depth of what you feel

But I need to let you know

That everyone has bad days

You may think that the girl who always smiles

And the boy whose laughter feels like the warmth of summer

Live perfect, immaculate lives

But their stories are just as painful as yours

Everyone has a raging inner war within themselves

Just because you cannot see it

It doesn’t mean it isn’t there

So the next time you think you know

A person’s story,

Think again

The depth of a person

Is only as shallow as your judgment

They cannot alter your perception

And so you must broaden your horizons

To the possibility of people

Being more intricate and complex

Than you can comprehend

Because inside each of us

Is a universe filled with stardusted secrets

Of wishes and hopes and wants

That others will not possibly understand

Because they are not the heroes of our war stories

And we are all veterans of the wars we fight

Against ourselves

Nobody is as hard on us

As we are on ourselves

The wars in our heads may never end

But I promise you this

You will always win

Because you keep fighting.