The Things We Do To Mask Our Lonely Hearts

We’re all lonely.

We often just don’t know

how terribly lonely we are.

We don’t know because we forget.

We forget because

we distract ourselves

by a million little things

that cover up our aching hearts.

We work and do as many tasks

as we possibly could,

We work until we’re tired,

until we could work no more.

We distract ourselves with gadgets.

We watch and binge watch

every possible amusement we could find.

We turn on the radio

and plug our earphones all day

as though plugging them

would also plug our hearts.

We go out.

We make a list of the adventures we’d do,

thinking that as long as we could do them,

we’re making our lives worthwhile.

We connect,

or so we think we’re able to connect

online and offline,

in our chatrooms and in our social halls,

with people we barely know,

with people who hardly care about us.

Just to forget.

Just to believe

even for one moment

that there is nothing to remember.

But through it all,

we are really lonely

still lonely,

still aching for something

for someone,

to console us

deep inside.

How fortunate it is

when something else happens,

when someone takes away our masks

and we come face to face

to what we’re trying to hide.

How fortunate it is,

when we are stripped away

from the million little things

that make us forget,

that numb the pain

of our broken hearts.

To finally see

how naked we are,

how empty and how thirsty

for something we’ve

long forgotten to find.

Maybe then there’s hope for us,

and just when we thought we’re lost,

we may yet be found.

Maybe then we can finally see…

we all feel so lonely,

because we were meant

to be loved.

The above poem is included in Jocelyn Soriano's book for those who grieve the loss of a loved one "Of Waves and Butterflies: Poems on Grief". Get it from Amazon today - click here.