Peace When The Secret Is Out

The screen is bright, but your hands are shaking under the table. You refresh the inbox again, hoping the three dots were just a glitch, that the message is still unsent, that you can take back the words before they land.

You smile at the coworker who asks how you are, and the mask holds perfectly, even while your stomach twists. But the light sees behind the performance.

It sees the terror of being found out. It knows you wish you could un-speak what was spoken.

There is a peace that does not depend on the message staying in your drafts. A peace that enters the room even when the secret is out.

You do not have to hold the mask up for the light to love you. It loves the face underneath the fear.