the silent panic of rehearsing a casual greeting in the car before walking into a room where everyone expects you to be fine

The Light Does Not Need Your Act

The engine is off, but the noise inside your head is still running. You are rehearsing a smile.

Practicing a tone that says 'I'm fine' so you can walk into the room and no one will know you are breaking. The silence of the car feels heavy, like it is holding its breath with you.

You do not have to get the performance right tonight. The light does not need your act.

It is already sitting in the passenger seat, quiet and unbothered by your panic. There is no fear in love — perfect love drives out the fear that makes you rehearse.

You can walk in tired. You can walk in real.

The light is not waiting for your mask to slip; it is waiting for you to stop holding your breath.

Drawing from

1 John, Matthew

Verses

1 John 4:18, Matthew 11:28

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