We see you trying to balance all that you perceive is expected of you,
for you are not alone in this, for the entirety of the internet is doing the same.
Even though you spent the majority of this year dejected and in despair,
you, like countless others, pretend not to.
As the year’s end passes, you feel a sense of relief,
that you no longer have to strain and pretend.
No collages and reels of manufactured smiles and good times,
for you are a person and not a brand selling a lifestyle.
You toy with the idea of being silent next year,
for if you cannot be genuine, silence is the better option.
Those who care for you from a distance wish you only peace,
for we can see the dissonance in your attempted appearance deplete you.