and I wonder if Beethoven held his breath the first time his fingers touched the keys the same way a soldier holds his breath the first time his finger clicks the trigger. We all have different reasons for forgetting to breathe. Andrea Gibson an award-winning poet and activist from Colorado USA. And these are not the only times we forget to breathe. We stop breathing for a moment when we are surprised astounded frightened and even when we are ecstatic. Our breathing becomes fast and shallow when we are angry; we breathe rapidly when we are anxious or stressed. Actually