The Battle Within Ahmed Mahin

The ice breaks beneath my feet: merciless and quiet. The sunlight that had once been a hub of warmth did nothing to ease the pain the ice brought. It all happened so quickly that I wondered whether anyone saw it occur. In the course of falling through the ice and realizing what had happened, fear filled me like a rush of adrenaline. With every attempt to swim back to the surface, I sank further and further into the abyss.

As the years passed the desire to learn to swim became less of a desire and more of a task that I had to accomplish. Still, much like the water that had once surrounded me, fear was pulling me down. Much like a close race, it was as if my fear had caught up with me. The emotion immobilized me, forcing me to stay at home; while the lives of the people around me were brimming with adventure. Like a ball and chain, my fears hindered and stifled any hope of achieving the adventure-filled life I had once desired. I grew weary of this vicious cycle. And with an inevitable confrontation with fear, I realized that I had to face my fears and move forward. So I had.

Although it was a difficult journey, I was finally able to step away from the terror of my past trauma and reshape my narrative. In doing so, I had...