The cycle went by each day
Swiftly
I felt like my life was rushing right past me
When suddenly
A group of girls grabbed me and started chasing my life with me
For once the gears in my mind slowed down
• • •
My brain was like a vast garden with different areas—some for thinking (the prefrontal cortex), some for feeling (the limbic system), and others for stress regulation (like the amygdala). When I was constantly isolated and stressed, clouds gathered, weeds grew , and shadows fell—those are the effects of cortisol (the stress hormone) and a lack of social connection.
But with these girls, laughing and enjoying myself, it's like the sun broke through those clouds.
My brain started releasing dopamine (the "reward" chemical), serotonin (the "happiness" chemical), and oxytocin (the "bonding" chemical). These neurotransmitters are the gardeners—clearing out the weeds, feeding the soil, and helping new, healthy thoughts and feelings grow.
• • •
As we chased I managed to gently run my fingertips through my life, I craved it, I yearned it!
But as we continued to chase
Some began to fall back
Some began to let go
And I grew more anxious
The clouds in my mind began to cast more shadows
The gears began to work more rapidly
As my thoughts began to cloud my judgment
As I began to lose pace…
I realized
How much I yearned to meet my life again
A small shift in my hopes and dreams
A small shift within me
A vast journey I have ahead of me.