Echoes at My Funeral

"I wonder why he took such a step," everyone whispered at his funeral, their voices laced with confusion and sorrow.
"He was always so full of life, cheering and rooting for others. I can't fathom why he did it," someone murmured, their tone heavy with disbelief.
But did you really not know? Or was it easier to pretend you didn't see? Among all the laughter, did any of you ever pause, even for a moment, to peer beneath the surface? To see the cracks in my smile? To hear the silent screams beneath my cheerful words? Did you ever notice the shadows in my eyes, the weight in my heart?
Or did you all choose to look away, comforting yourselves with the illusion that I was fine because it was easier than facing the truth?
Amongst all the joy I spread, did anyone care to wonder about the emptiness I carried within? The pain that gnawed at my soul? The burden that grew heavier with every passing day?
Now, you stand here, questioning why. But the truth is, deep down, you knew. You just didn't want to see it. You didn't want to confront the darkness that lived inside me, hidden beneath the light I so desperately tried to project.
And now it's too late. But as you remember me, ask yourselves--was my pain really that invisible, or did you choose not to see it?
The soul questioned, but once again, no one listened.