The idea that love has to survive a bad day to count as real is such a brutal but accurate diagnosis of how conditional most support actually is. It's easy to talk about unconditional anything until someone actually tests it with a bad week. Rest and belonging shouldn't have to be earned back every single time, but that's exactly how it feels most days.
Yes, I think everyone needs some room to be in bad mood from time to time or even prolonged periods of time when under stress. I’m always more impressed by relationships that have rough times and pull through than the ones with zero conflict. I also think we can learn a lot about ourselves and grow considerably when we learn to show grace to people.
Yes, it’s sad but I realized recently I actually get uncomfortable when someone does something nice or gives me a gift because it feels like a debt I have to repay. It actually creates instant guilt in me that I need to do something for them.
This is raw, and honestly, it hits right where it hurts. You’ve captured that exhausting, suffocating feeling of modern burnout perfectly.
The irony of the "like, subscribe, share" sign-off at the end is the perfect, brilliant punchline to the whole piece. It highlights the exact transactional loop the poem is criticizing.
Yes, and to a certain extent it isn’t even supposed to be a criticism but rather an acknowledgement of the painful reality of life. As long as evil/injustice exists we have to put conditions on every relationship which makes for a transactional world. If a person is completely kind, completely trusting, and asks for nothing in return, eventually a power seeking person or the system will destroy them.
This is amazing!! I listened to the article's voiceover and felt that it added so much meaning to your poem, how life can be viewed as depressing and dull. There is so much truth to your writing, and it is so overlooked in society today :))
wow.. this is beautiful and I feel like it really describes what depression feels like from the inside looking out. It also describes the feeling and state of being when you feel like you know something the rest of the world has just accepted as truth, but you cannot; when you crave radical change in your bones
Yes, there’s certainly ways to have more freedom but even a billionaire that’s free of financial worry will still need to put in consistent relational work to stay connected.
"Jump through those hoops
Play all the games
Say the right things
Or get put to shame"
That feels a lot like control and having someone control you makes you feel like a puppet in a puppet show.That's scary
"Conditional world, conditional life
Always performing with our back to a knife
No bad days allowed
No crying out loud
Just smile and work
Or they’ll put you six feet in the dirt"
This is a backstab waiting to happen people holding you close just to put a knife in your back like you never meant anything to them.
This poem is just amazing 🫂
Thank you! Yes, I wrote after feeling like almost every interaction and relationship is a transaction or deal of sorts.
The idea that love has to survive a bad day to count as real is such a brutal but accurate diagnosis of how conditional most support actually is. It's easy to talk about unconditional anything until someone actually tests it with a bad week. Rest and belonging shouldn't have to be earned back every single time, but that's exactly how it feels most days.
Yes, I think everyone needs some room to be in bad mood from time to time or even prolonged periods of time when under stress. I’m always more impressed by relationships that have rough times and pull through than the ones with zero conflict. I also think we can learn a lot about ourselves and grow considerably when we learn to show grace to people.
Wow. It has depth. I’ll re-read it a few times later today. Thanks.
Thank you!
wow this really made me stop and think. I'm so glad you shared it!
Thank you!
It does feel like you can only receive if you give. 🙁
Yes, it’s sad but I realized recently I actually get uncomfortable when someone does something nice or gives me a gift because it feels like a debt I have to repay. It actually creates instant guilt in me that I need to do something for them.
This is raw, and honestly, it hits right where it hurts. You’ve captured that exhausting, suffocating feeling of modern burnout perfectly.
The irony of the "like, subscribe, share" sign-off at the end is the perfect, brilliant punchline to the whole piece. It highlights the exact transactional loop the poem is criticizing.
Really powerful stuff. Thanks for sharing this.
Yes, and to a certain extent it isn’t even supposed to be a criticism but rather an acknowledgement of the painful reality of life. As long as evil/injustice exists we have to put conditions on every relationship which makes for a transactional world. If a person is completely kind, completely trusting, and asks for nothing in return, eventually a power seeking person or the system will destroy them.
This is amazing!! I listened to the article's voiceover and felt that it added so much meaning to your poem, how life can be viewed as depressing and dull. There is so much truth to your writing, and it is so overlooked in society today :))
wow.. this is beautiful and I feel like it really describes what depression feels like from the inside looking out. It also describes the feeling and state of being when you feel like you know something the rest of the world has just accepted as truth, but you cannot; when you crave radical change in your bones
“Say the right things or get put to shame.” Great line. It’s describes conformity so simply and powerful.
This is what happens when you choose to submit to a systematic life. A 9-5. Doing things the “right way.”
But there’s freedom from this path - I’ve tasted it.
Yes, there’s certainly ways to have more freedom but even a billionaire that’s free of financial worry will still need to put in consistent relational work to stay connected.