Hiding behind a smile...

... is something I am pretty good at. Maybe not with my own family, not anymore at least. I have learned not to hide behind my smile around them. With others on the other hand, I will put on my smile and everything might seem just "perfect" or at least good in my life... even when the opposite is true. Why do I hide behind the mask of a smile?
Because I am afraid of making myself vulnerable? Mmmm... yes.
Because I don't want others to know I'm not ok? ... Sometimes.
I'm not saying that I should go around and tell EVERYONE everything about how I'm doing all the time. What goes on in my life is not for everyone to know, but I hope you get what I mean. Many of us hide behind masks of some kind to cover up how we really feel, how things are really going, so that noone will know our pain or our struggles. Maybe it's out of shame. Maybe it's out of pride. Maybe it's because we feel like a failure...

Joy Williams - Hide
From the album Genesis

To anyone who hides behind a smile
To anyone who hold there pain inside
To anyone who thinks they’re not good enough
To anyone who feels unworthy of love
To anyone who ever closed the door
Closed their eyes and locked themselves away

Chorus:
You don’t have to hide
You don’t have to hide anymore
You don’t have to face this on your own
You don’t have to hide anymore

So come out, come out
Come out wherever you are
Anyone who’s trying to cover up their scars
To anyone who’s ever made a big mistake
We’ve all been there so don’t be ashamed
So come out, come out and join the rest of us
You’ve been alone for way to long

Chorus:

And if you feel like no one understands
Come to the one with scars on His hands
Cause He knows where you are and where you’ve been
His scars will heal you if you let Him

Chorus:

You don’t have to…
You don’t have to hide
Come out, come out wherever you are
You don’t have to hide
Come out, come out
Come out wherever you are
You don’t have to hide
You don’t have to…

I've learned how important it is to have someone to talk to about things - both good and bad, happy and sad, mistakes and successes, anything and everything... I am blessed to be able to do that with my family and a few very close friends. Not only that, because sometimes I feel like noone can really understand what I'm trying to say or what's going on. In those situtations I still know there is One who understands.

And if you feel like no one understands
Come to the one with scars on His hands
Cause He knows where you are and where you’ve been
His scars will heal you if you let Him