That moment was not mere performance but a sudden return to the living world, where joy feels like air again. Before you leave tonight, go to someone you love and let your face show the truth of what you feel, however briefly. Do not wear your sorrow as a king wears purple to keep others at bay. Smile if it is honest; make their visit worth the journey by offering them light instead of a mirror for their pity.

I ask only that you do not mistake my former gloom for wisdom. I learned too late that forcing sadness upon friends is a cruelty disguised as art. When you see me again, should the gates open, expect no funeral baked meats, but rather a man who has found that cheerfulness is the truest form of gratitude. Let your own hearts be light so that mine may finally rest.