I wonder what will happen next. I daydream about the past, wondering what I could have done differently. I stress about the present.

I worry what’ll happen if I lose a part-time job without finding a new one.

I feel rushed, but I always feel rushed, stressed, and a failure before I have actually done anything.

The flies are driving me crazy. It’s hard to concentrate with them around me. Now I can’t drink my coffee. Not when I keep catching one sitting on the cup. Persistent bugs annoying me. Killed one at least.

By Cristina WilCraft

I wish it wasn’t so hot and sticky. I wish I had more energy to stay awake. I wish I could take a nap.

I wish I could sleep better at night. I wish the cats didn’t fight every morning while I’m still trying to go to sleep.

I wish his headaches went away. I wish he was happy. I wish we were living on our own. I wish I had a better job.  

I wish my parents were happy. I wish my sister wasn’t so stressed out. I wish I wasn’t so stressed out.

I wish I were writing. I wish I had a story to tell. I wish I were more interesting. I wish I could scratch that writer’s itch.

By Mary Glenn

“I won’t do that anymore.”

“I won’t do that anymore.”

I tell myself each time it’s around me.

But it doesn’t take long for me to break.

I do it anyway.

“This is the last time,” I promise again.

“No more unhealthy snacks.”

But chocolate always wins.

By John Roach

At times I find the only next step is to look back at my mistakes and understand what lead to them, because the real terror is knowing that if I don’t they might be repeated. A horrific nightmare is the thought of existing in a loop, a rinse and wash of my failure.

By Seth McAllister