In the valley of sorrow,
I search relentlessly for the light of hope—
The hope that whispers, “Do not give up.”
But what is hope, truly?
Have I ever stopped to ask myself?

Even when I falter,
I reassure myself—one day, all will be well.
Yet, I feel imprisoned,
Lost in the maze of trying to understand
What I truly seek from this world.

I crave support, love, attention, and care,
Encouragement—these are my desires.
But why do I seek them
From the world around me,
Instead of from within?

I believe I fear—fear the loss of my illusions,
Illusions of a world where I am bound
By the chains of expectation.

I strive to rise, to soar higher,
But when success comes,
Is my happiness real?
Or is it born from fleeting praise—
The hollow words that feed my mind,
A mind that hungers for approval,
Not from within, but from others?

And when failure strikes,
I crumble, unable to rise,
For I have conditioned my heart
To rely on the world’s validation,
Not on the strength that resides deep inside.