Dear Anxiety,

What do you want? You have a place in my life, but must you drop in so often? And unannounced at that! You are not needed here. I am blessed with a loving husband and kind children. So what if my house isn’t the neatest. So what if I don’t prepare 6-course meals. I’m not trying to be Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray. I just want to get through one day without you. While I love the way Hubby hugs you away, it makes me feel helpless and hopeless that I can’t keep you at bay on my own. So do me a solid–Fuck off.

Anxiety plagued me for years. Being raised to believe therapy was only for white families, I was hesitant to retread that ground. Therapy had failed once. Why would I try it again? Writing had always been therapeutic, so I found an empty notebook and began writing.