People have many masks.

The thing with masks is that you get to choose which one you put on and show other people when you don’t necessarily want them to see what is behind it. You can be that athletic person who plays all the sports when you’re really just doing it to impress your parents and it’s not your favorite. Maybe even being that really loud and obnoxious kid in class when really, you just want to be liked.

We all have plenty of them. We almost always put one on everyday. Mine? I’m a happy sad person.

You’re probably wondering, what does that even mean? I know, I know. Happy and sad are two very distinct emotions, and they are on the complete opposite ends of the emotion spectrum. However, there’s good reason behind each of them, and reasons for why they need to go together.

I am happy.

I’m extremely optimistic about a lot of things. I am hopeful for people. I see the good. It doesn’t matter if I have a splitting headache or I woke up on the wrong side of the bed – I will greet you with a smile, because that's what people need. People need to see more smiles, because those smiles transfer. I have smiles and I have hope. But that’s not all there is to me.

I am sad.

At the same time that I am a happy person, I am equally as sad. I struggle with myself and my mind to the point that it can be pretty difficult to move along with my day, but I have to. My reflection doesn't give me the feeling of satisfaction that I would like it to. Working hard and getting little to nothing for it can be exhausting and draining on a person.

So yes, I am a happy, sad person, but those things do indeed mesh together. You see, when the sad is taking up most of the space on the mask, and I can make someone else smile or make their day better in the slightest, it does the same for me. It’s an equal balance. The sadness makes me appreciate the happiness, even though the sadness may illusively seem larger at times.

Finding the things that make the happy parts grow and keep the sad parts at bay is key. Find things that give you peace, that seem to give you your sanity back.