Stress Kills

The moment I knew,
What it was that kept people ill.
Had to do with a keeping up of appearances.
To impress their neighbors.
And the Joneses living up the hill.

The moment I knew,
It was a must to acquire knowledge.
And skills to obtain.
I became more not less,
Observant to witness...
It had been stress that kills.
As if a habit to maintain.
For the many rushing to medicate,
Their aches and pains.
With pills to take to numb their brains.
Temporarily relieving them free,
Of feeling unworthy and left depressed.

Immediately I began to connect,
This effect had been caused by nonsense.
A choice to choose most accepted.
With a surrounding themselves,
In a mess to expect approval.
An approval to get.
Until they became,
Soaking wet in deep debts.
Becoming obsessed to impress others.
Others to impress,
With things they could not afford.
Yet maxing out credit cards.
To play the part regardless,
Of having low credit scores.

The moment I grew,
More aware and conscious...
Of what happiness is and meant for me.
To live happy and sleep peacefully.
Had nothing to do,
About what others did to try to impress.
Caring less I became of gaining acceptance.

I started to assess,
How I achieved my own happiness.
With a doing of less,
Mess collected to possess...
For the purpose to impress others.
Looking depress unable to pay their debts.

Yet...
Attempting to keep up their pretensions.
By any means necessary.
Hoping stress and charading impressions,
Will identify them as in need of empathy.
And someone sympathetic enough,
Who can afford and help them...
At least assist with paying,
Something on their medical bills!

Stress kills.
And keeping up with the Joneses...
Minding their business.
Doing for themselves as they will.
Certainly does the trick to keep,
People medicated.
Not to know what makes them sick!