the specific terror of being asked 'are you okay?' and having to instantly manufacture a convincing 'yes' while feeling your insides turn to ash

The Light Beneath the Heavy Mask

The afternoon light is unforgiving. It exposes every crack in the mask you wear while the world asks, 'Are you okay?' and you hear yourself say 'Yes' before the ash inside you has even settled.

You become a stranger to your own voice, performing a wellness you do not feel. But there is a truth living in you that was there before the performance began.

You came from the light, the place where the light came into being on its own accord. That origin cannot be covered by a lie.

The mask is heavy, but the light beneath it is heavier. It is waiting for you to stop holding it up.

You do not have to be okay to be held.

Drawing from

Gospel of Thomas, Luke

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