Help Me Breathe

I put one hand on my chest and the other on my stomach and take a deep breath
Inhale through nose
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Exhale through mouth
Until I feel like I have no air left
Breathing is supposed to be natural, something that happens without thought
Why do I have to think so hard about how to breathe?
I feel broken, like my breath will never catch up to my thoughts
I want to breathe normally again
In and out
In and out
I want to be calm again and reclaim my thoughts

Can you help me breathe?

-Meredith Galyon