the silence that follows a joke you told too loudly, where you realize no one noticed you were drowning

The Light Held You Before You Sank

The laughter faded, but the silence that followed felt heavier than the joke itself. You realize now that while you were performing, you were actually drowning—and no one noticed the water rising.

In that quiet aftermath, the shame tries to convince you that you are alone in the room. But the light does not need a performance to find you; it sees the stillness beneath the noise.

There is a presence that noticed the drowning long before the punchline landed. You do not have to keep talking to prove you are here.

The light was already holding you up when you felt yourself sinking.

Drawing from

Psalm 139:7-10, Isaiah 43:2

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