Toxicity

If we do not heal our wounds
we will bleed onto those who did not hurt us. 
This saying affects me in ways I did not expect.

The expectation is the hardest part. 
What it means to be a man.
Teach me, again, what it means to be a man?
Who taught you? And who taught them?

Each meaningless milestone 
is wrought with our creation
worthless expectations that are unrealistic.
It’s almost sadistic how we push them onto others
and ourselves.

A toughness that evolves 
only based on fear.
We wouldn’t need toughness 
if there was no fear.

Why can’t we create 
a kindness that permeates
and settles even the saddest souls?

And why do we call them wounds
when it’s more like a cancer?
Infecting generations
one after another.

We are not born equipped
to fend off these attacks.
But we cannot carry on 
these sins of the past.
We owe it to ourselves
to sow and mend ourselves back together.

Because if we do not heal our wounds, 
we will bleed onto those 
who did not hurt us, 
forever.