I hide so much. I’m guarded all the time. I tend to surround myself with people who hide too. I always say it’s like wearing a badge of honor. Not being a punk. Not airing our dirty laundry. That we can handle anything.

I surround myself with the survivors that would never say they were victims. The tough women who would never cry around another person. The lovers of addicts. The partners of deniers. We put on on our business casual every fucking day and pretend.

As I see it when we show that bit of weakness. That small piece of our hearts that need stitches. We would not make it through a day of bearing witness to the suffering all around us. We are present for that moment of suffering like no one else could ever understand.