“ How are you ? “

“How are you?” A simple question. Yet here you are, scrambling your head to find the right answer. To a simple question? How are you? Hoping someone somewhere intervenes, so you won’t have to answer. A minute goes by and you can feel their eyes weighing you down. Waiting... Waiting for your reply. You can hear your heart beating faster against your chest as you continue to fidget your fingers in your lap. Now you feel the knots start to form in your stomach. As your throat starts to ache and you do everything in your power to hold back the tears. How do you explain to someone you can’t breathe? Physically you are, but mentally you are drowning, struggling, and gasping out for air. How do you explain to someone you are suffocating but you don’t know the reasoning? Again, “How are you?” This time you look up, resting your hands in your lap, and with a smile you whisper “I’m fine”