You Gotta Believe It

Naive
and unable to cope
I resorted to finger picking
during the day
and grinding my teeth at night.
I slept a lot.
Looking outside myself
all I got back
were plastic smiles, fake hugs
and the phone numbers of bad psychologists.

When I finally learned
that I had a thyroid problem
and how to face the alligators
they disappeared.
Draining the swamp
another thing.

I had lots of self-doubt
that small voice
kept whispering reminding me of
something my Uncle had once told me.

"You can do or be anything but you gotta believe it."