22 does it even still feel real?

If by real you mean as real as a memory of
a vacation, the haze of a summer afternoon,
an hour spent awake in the middle of the night—
then maybe every last page could be right.
Well it feels that way at times—mostly night—
and when I say that I exist, it means I need
to hear it, but I won’t trust anyone.
Can you imagine the growth, how much
better life could be? Even now I brush my teeth
and wash my face—I rest at a normal time,
get up early and exercise. I don’t put off
homework or chores. I clean up my scrapes
and bruises right away, and outside of them
I’m never in a significant amount of pain.^[1]