The Invisible Battle for Normalcy

So this quote from Albert Camus popped up on my Facebook feed:

"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal."

And I thought nah, there are a few who realize it. They just choose to ignore the silent battle raging in front of them. Because if they acknowledged it, what then? They couldn't do a damn thing anyway. The spectacle of this struggle for the "normalcy" that society imposes embarrasses them. So instead of asking about your emotional and psychological state, they just respond to your overly enthusiastic smile with a bright hello, followed by an excruciating small talk.

Sad

I have this dull ache in my chest every time someone says he or she is sad. I don't know if I should feel annoyed, angry, or confused.

I scream on the inside because I find it so fucking hard to talk about my struggle. I find it too difficult that I mask my sadness with bright smiles and laughter.

But these people -- it's so easy for them to change their online status to "sad," to tell people about their loneliness, depression, internal struggle like it's a staple topic for small talk.

Is their sadness the same as mine? The kind that gnaws at your gut, leaving you empty? It'd be great if it stopped at that -- if I ended up living a zombie-like existence. But, no. I feel too much. I'm empty inside, but I still feel too much. Imagine how exhausting that is.

Imagine living in my sadness every goddamn day.