At a glance they seemed so happy, cool calm and collected,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The life of the party, open and friendly, arms spread for\neverybody,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Life seemed perfect if the social media feed\u2019s to be\nbelieved,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Came as a surprise when it transpired, that they\u2019d acted as\ntheir own judge, jury and executioner,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unbecoming of one so vibrant and energetic, but to really\nknow \u2018em paints a different story,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Folks like \u2018em ain\u2019t checked on the regular for they don\u2019t\nfit a certain identity,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When in reality it\u2019s they who smile the most that suffer\nimmeasurably, compelled to keep the lights on for everybody as they know about\nthe darkness intimately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the surface they had it all, money, house, friends and a\nloving family,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Admired and envied by many, the embodiment of contentment\nand stability,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Makes you wonder about others like \u2018em that have all the advantages,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What chips away at \u2018em \u2018til they become another statistic,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Easy to pass judgement when you\u2019re outside looking in,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But you gotta look beyond appearances to find what\u2019s actually\nbehind the shutters,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Everyone\u2019s fighting battles that you know nothing about\u2019,\none of life\u2019s realest clich\u00e9s,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At an age of needless comparison, personal achievements\nain\u2019t all that one is flexing,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some scars visible compared to others while the\nclear-skinned cop haughty derision,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Disqualified from expressing any form of suffering since\nthey\u2019re supposedly privileged,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Smiles and joviality might conceal voices tormenting on the\ndaily, at worst gaslighting and convincing \u2018em they\u2019re better off charred then\nscattered or festering six-feet under,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Might be concealing traumatic experiences, destructive\nchoices made under shady influences,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everyone makes mistakes and demons don\u2019t discriminate, not a\nsingle soul is safe,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can never tell when they will strike, better protect\nyourself at all times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The judgment quadrupled for those with dependants,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spouses and little ones rooting for \u2018em, should\u2019ve been\ntheir motivation to scale countless mountains, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet it\u2019s a tale as old as time, partner and kids losing one\nguardian or lover,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What could have possessed \u2018em to take permanent solutions\nfor temporary problems?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Easy to accuse \u2018em of selfishness for leaving their loved\nones stranded in the wilderness,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Surely those priceless treasures should\u2019ve stopped \u2018em from\nending it,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not to make excuses for \u2018em but unless you\u2019ve dragged the\nsame baggage they\u2019re carrying you have no right to be pointing fingers,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bet you don\u2019t know the conflicts and dramas threatening the\nfamily unit,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That they end their days disunited and on the verge of\nimplosion,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On top of internal chains that strangle and choke, can only\ntake so much of life\u2019s blows,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Craving for peace and rest that they could never find, by\ntheir own hand they\u2019re out of sight but not of mind, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Might have felt it\u2019s for the better, that their very\npresence was a needless burden,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deadweight for those that don\u2019t deserve to bear their cross,\nsweet relief and victory for all but it comes at a hefty cost,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cold comfort for those left behind, nobody likes to feel\nincomplete,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inner demons finally extinguished, permanently, but those\nleft behind are picking up the pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Battles differ across individuals, though there might be\nshared symptoms among others,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some have jumped ship over lesser storms while others\npersevere to buck the odds,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018They should just open up about it,\u2019 says you, \u2018suck it up,\u2019\nsnarl the others,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given the type of world we\u2019re in it\u2019s no wonder they\u2019re\nreluctant to draw the curtains,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A world crawling with snakes and fakes, many keeping the\nfangs retracted \u2018til it\u2019s too late,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many treat relationships as disposable, are loyalty, respect\nand compassion no longer considered noble?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who the fuck do you trust in that type of environment? Where\nmisunderstanding and judging seem all too common,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No wonder many suppress and keep their secrets, lest it be\nused maliciously against them,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let \u2018em in your dreams you\u2019re likely to hear muffled\nlaughter, see rolling eyes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prefer to keep \u2018em private, watch them say outright you\nain\u2019t doing shit with your life,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Folks be quick to think the worse, only become believers\nwhen you\u2019ve won, then act like they were with you in the trenches, no end to\ntheir shamelessness,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not that their opinions ever mattered, in the end it\u2019s you\nagainst you,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hustle at your own pace, make moves that suit you, climb\n\u2018til you reach the mountain peak, that\u2019s all you have to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why attack, ostracize and haze over useless petty shit? Why not\nbe kinder and understand? It won\u2019t cost a damn thing,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not all will be your mirror image, not all will look, act,\ntalk and live like ya, are you so threatened that you feel the perpetual need\nto erase \u2018em?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Go your own way, run with those that matter, fuck anyone\nthat don\u2019t vibe with ya, why place \u2018em above ya?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heed the words of Mr. Lee, underneath the sky, under the\nheavens, there is but one family,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About time we acted like it, make this world brighter, lift\nup one another,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To understand rather than label one another, to let go of\ngrudges at the end of every sunset,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Time is limited, better spend it wisely, what good comes out\nof hate and needless conflict? Just broken spirits and squandered potential,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before you judge, label and condemn, why not sit down with\n\u2018em?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Provide a safe space for \u2018em to shelter from oncoming shells,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You just might empower \u2018em to soldier on, abandon plans to end it all,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What an entry that\u2019ll be for your legacy, proof that\ngoodness still exists in society,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enough monsters about, seen and unseen, time to buck that\ntrend, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be a light for those in the darkness, throw a rope to those\nwho are drowning, you just might gain a true friend, it\u2019ll be worth it in the\nend. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
At a glance they seemed so happy, cool calm and collected, The life of the party, open and friendly, arms spread for everybody, Life seemed perfect if the social media feed\u2019s to be believed, Came as a surprise when it transpired, that they\u2019d acted as their own judge, jury and executioner, Unbecoming of one so … <\/p>\n