...isn't a blessing; it's a burden.

BLESS, verb -"to express a wish or desire of"...that implies ones choice to want to hold onto, hence burdening self with it.

being awake

a) being implies in-between (life) awake (inception) and asleep (death); hence being able to WAKE; WAKA; WACHE - "to watch" aka "to stand guard".

b) ignoring this for the suggestions by others lures one to sleep, hence EXIT LIGHT (perceivable inspiration) ENTER NIGHT (ignoring it for suggested information).

• "Hush, little baby, don't say a word"..."And never mind that noise you heard"
• "It's just the beasts under your bed"..."In your closet, in your head"

https://genius.com/Metallica-enter-sandman-lyrics

seeing the whole sleeping around them...

Being able to see implies being partial (perceiving) within whole (perceivable). Being one partial implies a division of whole into each one partial, hence each one being surrounded by different partials within the same whole.

Only self discernment allows one to discern in-between perceivable (whole) and suggested (partials). Whatever other partials are suggesting; tempts one to ignore perceivable whole. It's on oneself to choose in-between perceivable inspiration (need) or suggested information (want)...former sustains life; latter lures towards death.