Emotional Buildup

When we’re young
We feel things
So much more acutely
A little slight
By a best friend
Is tragic drama

But when we’re young
We also shake things off
And move on
Faster

Yet even when we’ve moved past
The hurt and disappointment
A tiny piece
Of that hurt
Lingers

As we age
We eventually learn
To not take life
Or anything
That seriously

We learn
That drama is better
When read or watched
And not a satisfying
Participation sport

So we don’t always hurt
Quite as much
As we did when we were younger
And with wisdom
We start looking
For more good things
Because we know
The hurt will find us
On its own

Yet still as we move through life
Each of those moments
Leaves a fragment behind
An emotional buildup
Like plaque on our soul

Some days it feels like
The psychic sludge
Has become so thick
That it’s dimming
The light of my soul
And while I know
This isn’t true
The pain of losing you
Makes me feel like I’m wading
Through a stream of pain

If only the happy moments
Were likewise gathered
But instead I think
They work to wear down the sad
So we need to make
A concerted effort
To search out pleasure
To not just ease but to erase
The pain
Look for reasons to laugh
Doing so erodes the bad
And removes the emotional buildup

Sort of like the soul equivalent
Of getting rid of chemical buildup
On your hair
Now if only it were as easy
I’d bottle it up
And advertise it as
Laughter and love
Make your psyche happy and bouncy again
Restore peace and purpose
To all you do

No more emotional buildup