A Lesson

The truth is, people don’t want to listen to all the problems you’re having in your life. I mean, maybe counselors do but they’re actually built to listen to your issues. Your friends or peers aren’t exactly made to listen to how your parents are fighting every night at the dinner table or how you cry yourself to sleep every night. Sure, they can sympathize with you but that doesn’t mean their stomach doesn’t turn while listening to you. I can’t say I would want to listen to myself talk about all the problems I have at home. That’s why I stay quiet. When people ask if I’m okay I’ll just respond with “I’m fine” or “Yeah, I just didn’t sleep well last night”. I know that people have their own issues and that’s hard enough for them to deal with. 

Here’s another thing, I don’t even want you reading this because you’re just going to ask me if I’m okay or tell me that people really do want to listen. They don’t want to. I know you’re just trying to make me happy. Or maybe you genuinely believe that people do want to listen to your problems, but that’s not reality. 

I don’t mean to come off like your friends don’t care how you’re feeling. They do. They just also have issues to deal with which are more than likely hurting them enough. I still want to know how they’re feeling, I just don’t care much about the “why”. As a friend, I’m there to make sure they have a good day and that they don’t want to hurt themselves in any way. If it turns out they weren’t having a good day or that they felt depressed then I would probably tell them to seek out someone whose trained to deal with those sort of things. I’m not a counselor and I don’t think I ever could be. Hearing about why someone feels depressed just makes my stomach turn. I wouldn’t want anyone to feel that way which is why I don’t talk about my problems to people anymore. I had to learn the hard way. 

To the person who taught me that people don’t want to listen to all your problems : I’m sorry. You taught me something I’ll never forget. I know you regret how you treated me after telling me off but you were right. I shouldn't have dumped all my problems on you when I knew damn well that you were having a hard enough time getting through life yourself. I’m glad that you’re doing better since this all occurred. I’m also happy to call you my best friend. I hope we’ll always be there to brighten each others day when we’re having a bad one.