All Smiles Until I Return //top\\

The phrase "all smiles until I return" is a preemptive apology for the collapse that will happen the moment the front door closes. It is the mind saying: “I have a quota of social energy. I will spend it all on you. But when I return to my emptiness, I will have nothing left. No smiles. No energy. Just the truth.”

This phrase is a sibling to the classic "I’m fine." But while "I’m fine" is a lie of denial, "All smiles until I return" is a lie of postponement . all smiles until i return

The Price of a Goodbye