Your laughter does not betray the pain

The day is ending, and you feel guilty for the moments you laughed. As if joy were a betrayal of the pain outside.

As if your relief meant you didn't care. But the light does not demand that you carry the whole world's weight to prove your love.

There is a peace that is not like the world's peace — a quiet that exists even when the storm rages. It is not a denial of the fire.

It is the breath you need to keep walking through it. You are allowed to exhale.

The light within you is not dimmed by your laughter; it is fueled by your rest. Stop trying to earn the right to be human.

The kingdom is already here, spread out beneath your feet, waiting for you to stop fighting and simply receive it.