The Journey Inward

Inside of "dream" is insomnia - tossing and turning, watching the clock,
And inside of insomnia is anxiety - a dozen weighted blankets atop me,
And inside of anxiety is hypervigilance - my mom up late, waiting and worrying,
And inside of hypervigilance is control - unsuccessfully trying to affect outcomes,
And inside of control is fear - catastrophizing, "What if...?"
And inside of fear is helplessness - small and insignificant,
And inside of helplessness is hope - a miniscule ember that ignites,
And inside of hope is spirit - an indomitable force that propels me upward, forward,
And inside of spirit is passion - a desire to know more, see more, be more,
And inside of passion is dream - the transcendence of this place and time.