an honest reflection

There seems to be a misconception
that the roughly-edited, cell phone-taken photos I've posted
provide an accurate representation
of my time away from home.
They don't even come close.
The pictures don't capture
the way I avoided eye contact with TSA
after a weepy goodbye with a boy
that my heart felt so confused about.
There are no good angles
for snapping what facing your biggest fear
and asking the questions plaguing your heart for years
looks like.
And the lighting is never right
for meeting your dad's new girlfriend
for the first time.
If I could've snagged a selfie
of what telling your best friend
they're not a good friend looks like,
I wouldn't have.
And the loneliness that hits
when you're on your own in a foreign land
just wouldn't have brightened your news feed.
Don't think that I'm saying it's been all bad,
just don't think it's all perfect either.
I guess sometimes, when it comes to photography,
smiles look better than honesty.