More is there, beneath the obvious,
Beneath the outside sheen of smooth sailing.
‘Neath all the layers of protection
Lies a real, yes-I-have-feelings human being.
It’s just a matter of getting past
All the bluff, all the pomp and circumstance.
Sometimes, if you’re careful and quiet,
You might actually see
The barricades come down voluntarily.
In that moment of vulnerability,
Speak softly, speak slowly, speak soothingly
To the soul exposed. It is the only way…
Otherwise the walls will slam into place
Faster than you can blink.
Beneath the outside sheen of smooth sailing.
‘Neath all the layers of protection
Lies a real, yes-I-have-feelings human being.
It’s just a matter of getting past
All the bluff, all the pomp and circumstance.
Sometimes, if you’re careful and quiet,
You might actually see
The barricades come down voluntarily.
In that moment of vulnerability,
Speak softly, speak slowly, speak soothingly
To the soul exposed. It is the only way…
Otherwise the walls will slam into place
Faster than you can blink.
Everyone has armor—some more, some less.
Few walk this world without wearing some.
But be aware, be open, be sensitive
Because ‘neath all the layers of protection
Lies a real, yes-I-have-feelings human being.
Gentle communication heart to heart
Is the way friendships are founded.
Families are strengthened.
Donne said it best, “No man is an island.”
Under the appearance that all is always well,
We cannot stand alone and live with gusto.
Let down your defenses sometimes.
Maybe someone else will let down theirs and
The two of you can be real for a little while.
You may even find you like realness
Better than these perpetual, tiresome masks…
