There was a time I hid behind the words “I’m fine.”

How are you? I’m fine.

I’m fine.

I really am fine.

I mean I’m not not fine.

So then, I must be fine.

Right?

I still go through the motions.

Nothing is too unbearable.

So I’m fine, am I not?

I was not fine.

I was not as I thought.

I was not not not fine.

But I’m glad I didn’t know then that I was not fine.

I survived because I thought I was fine.

I’m fine now.

Really.

I know what it means to be fine.

How it feels to be fine.

I wasn’t fine, but I’m fine now.