Meditation On Hiding Poem by Javier Falcon

Why do we see it so normal for people to just hide? Slowly as time progresses we apply this verb and give it control over our lives… Let us start from the beginning, what is your favorite childhood game? In many cases if I say “hide and go seek” I wouldn’t be wrong. It seems that hiding has been implanted within us since we are little. We have “progressed” through time to become a generation of cowards. During the old times, people would make 4 to 5 lines with guns in hand and just shoot at each other until one side won, which usually took less than a couple of hours. Nowadays we have guerrilla warfare which can take years to decide a winner. But we can go into something more particular in our lives, like talking to each other. How can we avoid talking to each other and hiding our feelings? Oh simple, lets invent the cellphone and the computer. Why break up with someone in person when I can send them a text or an IM? Are we becoming cold and un-attached, or are we just scared of something? Maybe this is why masks were created? Be someone who you are not and hide the real you… But wait, isn’t that the new theme in being “online”. Everyone knows that about 90% of the girls who are female characters on online games are actually guys. Why do those guys play as females? Attention? Maybe lack of personality? Maybe some of them are just gay? Who cares…? They are still hiding from the truth. Some of us hide behind books during school to not face society. Some of us hide behind our drinking to not worry about our problems. Some of us hide behind our personalities to somehow criticize the world for its actions. Some of us hide behind our religious texts to hide from our everyday sins. Most of the reasons why you might hide are wrong, some worse than others. I do not understand the concept of family dinner if the members at the table are speaking to each other using a device on their lap instead of looking and uttering words. Is there something to hide? Maybe it’s just human nature, as humans have always been scared of the unknown. Maybe we think too much. And not knowing what another person thinks of you might be fear enough to get that one person to hide. Our emotions get clogged when we don’t have time to think, many think it’s best to hide and answer from a safe distance. But are you really safe? Is hiding really worth it all? Consequently someday we will all have to step into the light and take judgment. And that day how will you hide?