[Intro - sparse felt piano, warm cello, soft room tone]
[Verse 1]
Put both feet down on the floor
Take one breath, then one more
You don’t have to think ahead
Just stay with this one breath instead
If you’re shaking, let it pass
You don’t have to calm down fast
Get some water if you can
You still don’t need any plan
[Chorus - gentle strings enter, steady and reassuring]
You don’t have to know what’s next
You don’t have to do your best
Hold through the minute you’re in
Let the next one wait till then
Feel your fire, raise your chin
Hold your ground through what you’re in
[Verse 2 - piano and cello, restrained pulse]
Now look at what is in your way
Only what you face today
Take the part that makes you fear
Deal with only what is here
Don’t try fixing all of it
Start with one small part of it
Do the first thing you can do
Then take time before step two
[Chorus - strings return, slightly fuller]
You don’t have to know what’s next
You don’t have to do your best
Hold through the minute you’re in
Let the next one wait till then
Feel your fire, raise your chin
Hold your ground through what you’re in
[Verse 3 - pull back, intimate vocal, minimal accompaniment]
Pick one person you can reach
You don’t need a perfect speech
Send a message, make the call
You don’t have to say it all
Tell them, “Something isn’t right”
“Can you stay with me tonight?”
Let them help with what comes next
You don’t have to know it yet
[Verse 4 - sparse, quiet tension underneath]
While you wait, your mind may start
Picking everything apart
What you said and what went wrong
Don’t decide where blame belongs
Just hold your truth and keep it near
Don’t lose your grip while in your fear
Move from shadow into light
They are coming, hold on tight
[Instrumental - unresolved strings slowly warm as help arrives]
[Bridge - accompaniment softens, warm and close]
What just happened still is real
You don’t have to know how to feel
You don’t have to make it right
You don’t have to heal tonight
[Final Chorus - warm, full but restrained]
Take your time, get to your feet
Steady yourself and take a seat
Let them help with what you need
You don’t have to take the lead
You have done enough today
Put the rest of it away
[Outro - arrangement falls nearly bare, soft final vocal]
You finally made it through
Now accept the help offered you
[Piano and cello resolve softly]