Simple Whispers | Teen Ink

Simple Whispers

October 10, 2019
By analisahernandez BRONZE, Austin, Texas
analisahernandez BRONZE, Austin, Texas
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

In first grade, I went through an extremely traumatic experience. It comes back every now and again reminding me of all I have gotten through in my journey. As much as I wish I could have skipped this time in my life, I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. 

In first grade, when I was only seven, I threw up on the first day. As I continued,  everyone kept telling me it was just nerves; they wouldn’t even make a phone call home to my parents. Big surprise, it turned out I was pretty sick and couldn’t go to school for the next week after that. This experience scared me. The idea that the school wouldn’t understand what I was going through and I would be trapped there because no one would get it seemed overwhelming. 

A month later I got over it, but then two people from my entire school got Shigella, and surprise surprise I was one of them. Shigella is extremely uncommon and is a deadly virus. It causes you to throw up, have very high fevers, and have blood in your… well... fecal matter. The doctors didn’t even know what it was, luckily my school’s nurse sent home a note explaining it. I was out of school for weeks. I had so much work piled up, I had to go pick up packets while I was sick and bring them home to complete. I was already stressed and school had just started, but the worst was yet to come.

These two incidents caused me to develop severe anxiety. I’m still not really sure why, I’m guessing I felt like everything had gone so wrong in the beginning that everything had to be perfect now. Everyone knows that perfect is impossible, so I went into school every day trying to achieve the unachievable.

My anxiety got so bad to the extent that every day when my mom would drop me off for school I would cry when she had to go, tears streaming down my face as she walked out the door, I know she heard my small weeps, but what was she to do? Every time I had to take a test, or even go to art class my hands would shake, my heart would race, my face dampening from tears, and my teacher’s hands resting on my shoulders trying to calm my nerves, her comforting voice muffled through my sobs. When I had a sub, I found myself absolutely despising change, like it was my worst nightmare. I would constantly go home early because I would always get stomach aches, these really were just the nerves.

This constant state of worry went on for months and months. These months felt like an eternity. My anxiety was not only affecting me though, but it had also started affecting the ones I loved most. My mom had developed separation anxiety. Even my teacher would stress when she couldn’t be at work; knowing how it would affect me. I wasn’t even aware of how much I was affecting the people around me. 

I went to the counselor several times a week and ended up getting assigned a buddy, a high schooler that comes and hangs out with you during lunch once a week. Although these things helped, there was still so much wrong with me. We didn’t know what to do. At that point, what could we do? I was stuck like this forever, wasn’t I?

That’s when my mom went to my aunt and just broke down, asking her what to do. “There’s nothing left, we’ve tried everything. Please tell me you have an idea,” my mom cried. 

 “It’s simple really, when she falls into a deep sleep whisper prayers into her ear,” my aunt replying in full confidence.

“Like what, what would I say?” she asked.

“Ask God to help her with whatever is bothering her. There’s no wrong answer, as long as you’re doing it out of love and compassion. From personal experience, it’ll work I promise,” my aunt replied. 

My mom did exactly that. On my bedside she knelt, lips opening and closing as softly as a butterfly fluttering away in a calmness by my ear. Reading from her precious prayer book every night and then drifting off into her own inspiring words speaking on more specific things I struggled with. Within a couple of days of praying, I started to get better. The change was practically instant. It was a miracle. I had no idea why I was starting to feel more comfortable and relaxed in school, considering I didn’t even know she would do this every night. I didn’t know the true reasoning behind my bettering until years later. We went almost the entire school year with my struggle of anxiety, and all it took was the power of prayer. 

God is good and is always with you. He truly saved me and can and will do the same for you. He’s there through the good times and the bad, so if you ever need anything, just ask him, and believe me, he’ll answer. 


The author's comments:

I'm a 15 year old student at Ann Richards and hold this story close to my heart. I enjoyed writing this piece and hope it can help people get through whatever they are struggling with.


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