“Listen Before the Silence”

Yeah…

Slow down the room, turn the noise down low,

Sometimes the loudest pain is the pain nobody knows.

You gotta listen…

Everybody says, “I would’ve seen it coming,”

After the fact when the whole world’s running.

But pain don’t always knock, don’t always call,

Sometimes it’s a whisper hiding behind a wall.

Somebody laughing with a storm in their chest,

Somebody saying “I’m fine” when they’re failing the test.

A person can speak, a person can hide,

The warning signs don’t always look the same inside.

So don’t wait for a perfect phrase or a perfect sign,

Don’t measure somebody’s hurt by the words they find.

A cry for help ain’t always loud or clear,

Sometimes it’s just “I’m tired” or “I disappear.”

If you care, then listen, don’t just hear the sound,

Look for the changes when they’re not around.

The ones who say they’re hurting, don’t push them away,

Stay in that moment, give them space to say.

’Cause silence can scream and a smile can lie,

You never know the battles somebody fights inside.

Don’t wait for a goodbye to finally understand,

Reach out with your heart, reach out with your hand.

There’s an old saying people repeat like truth,

“Those who talk never do, those who do never choose.”

But life isn’t simple, pain doesn’t follow a chart,

Some people speak from the deepest part of their heart.

And some people keep it locked behind their eyes,

Carrying a weight they don’t know how to describe.

So every mention, every hint, every change in the tone,

Is a reason to remind them they don’t have to be alone.

Pay attention when the energy changes shape,

When the person you know starts pulling away.

When they stop doing things that once made them smile,

When “I’m okay” sounds empty after a while.

Don’t become a detective looking for blame,

Become somebody willing to sit with the pain.

Sometimes all that somebody needs to know,

Is there’s one more person who won’t let go.

If you care, then listen, don’t just hear the sound,

Look for the changes when they’re not around.

The ones who say they’re hurting, don’t push them away,

Stay in that moment, give them space to say.

’Cause silence can scream and a smile can lie,

You never know the battles somebody fights inside.

Don’t wait for a goodbye to finally understand,

Reach out with your heart, reach out with your hand.

No shame in the struggle, no shame in the tears,

No shame in admitting that you’re fighting your fears.

A conversation today can change tomorrow’s road,

A little bit of kindness can lighten a heavy load.

So remember the person, not just the words they say,

Pay attention to the changes, don’t look away.

You might not have answers, you might not know what to do,

But showing up matters more than you ever knew.

Listen…

Before the silence.