our eyes… they tell the truth
Our lips may not always be honest, but our eyes never lie.
Another day of wearing the mask. Another day of pretending that the world doesn’t weigh heavy on our shoulders. We smile, we laugh, we do our parts, all the while a battle rages within. It’s tiring. Excruciating, even. We’ve become so great at the performance that sometimes, we forget who we are beneath the mask we put on.
Our eyes… they tell the truth. They are the gateways to a soul tired of pretending. They betray the strength we so desperately cling to. Others may think we are strong and fearless, but inside we may feel like we are falling apart and scared, barely holding on with just a bit of hope.
Underneath the tough face that we show to the world, there is a scared child who feels lost and alone in the confusing journey of life. This child just wants to feel safe, to be understood, and to have someone kind to help them through tough times, but the world demands we wear armor, to hide our vulnerabilities. So, we hide this fragile child inside us, burying deeper and deeper within, pretending everything is okay.
People look at us and see the strength in us. They admire our ability to carry on, to function despite what’s going on within. They see a warrior, a survivor, a strong one, but what they fail to see is the tired, scared little kid trembling in the corner of our hearts. A child who never truly grew up, still haunted by the ghosts of the past.
It’s strange that the part of us that’s most exposed is also the part we yearn to hide. Our eyes beg for help, for someone to understand us, to set us free. But we can’t find the words to explain the mess inside us because we’re scared and ashamed. How can we show the chaos when everyone expects us to act like everything’s just fine?
We’re tired of pretending. Tired of acting like we’re comfortable when we’re really struggling. We want to be real, to be open, to have the guts to be ourselves. Still, it’s scary. What if people don’t like what they see? What if the masks we wear are the only things keeping us together?
It’s hard, but we keep moving forward. We do what we have to do, we talk to people, we keep on going. Yet, at what point will it all be too much? When will we finally be brave enough to show who we really are, even if it means risking not being accepted?
We yearn for genuine connection, for someone to see beyond the mask, to understand the innermost parts of us without judgment, even so, such souls are rare. Many people are preoccupied with their own lives, responsibilities, and problems. They may not have the time, energy, or willingness to look deeper into understanding the complexities of a certain person. At the same time, society often encourage putting on a brave face and appearing strong, which can discourage people from showing their vulnerabilities. With this, some people become content with just seeing the surface, not realizing the mess that’s hidden inside us.
Sometimes the mask even slips. And in those vulnerable moments, we are faced with the bitter reality of our existence. We are strong, yes, but we are also fragile. We are capable, but we are also deeply wounded. We are survivors, but we are also victims of things beyond our control.
And so we continue to smile when we’re aching, to laugh when we’re crying, and to act whole when we’re truly breaking.
Other times, when everything is quiet and still, we see a glimpse of that scared little kid. Their eyes, filled with fear and longing, stare back at us, pleading for someone to come and save them. We feel the need to comfort them, to assure them that everything will be okay, but the adult, the survivor, stifles the urge from doing so. They must be strong, they must endure, since we feel like to expose it is to risk rejection, to risk judgment, and to become a target of the world’s cruelty.
Needless to say, we continue to wear the mask, to act our parts in this play of life, but deep down, we know that the real us is buried beneath layers of protection. And until the day we find the courage to reveal our true selves, we will remain stuck living as two different versions of who we are, unable to break free from our own self-made prison. Because when we hide our true selves, we are not being open and honest, which creates a sense of inner conflict within us, as we are not fully embracing who we are inside.
And I know it can be a heavy burden to carry, realizing our eyes tell a different story than our lips, but maybe by sharing this truth, we can find comfort in knowing we’re not alone. That others wear the same mask, hiding the same scared little kid inside, the exact way we do.
It’s just that… we’re all good at pretending.
Even so, our eyes… they tell the truth.
