Topic: What kept you awake at night?
I recently attended a seminar about Mental Health Awareness called Labyrinth and I learned a lot about how to deal with mental health, how you should handle it or how can you help other people who has issues. And I have realized what a terrible friend I am because I made numerous mistakes, I told the wrong things to my friends, it probably was my fault why they don’t share their problems with me because I wasn’t really the best adviser nor a listener. This thought kept me awake at night, am I really a terrible friend?
In the seminar they told us that you shouldn’t always bring up God and say that “don’t worry, God has a purpose” or “pray ka lang” because it is not always appropriate but of course me being uneducated had always told that to my friends, I thought I was bringing them closer to God, because I couldn’t do anything so maybe I should just leave it to him, since He is almighty as we know then it would be easy just to have faith and believe in Him but of course I am wrong, they said it’s good that you have something that you believe in but let’s face it not all people view God the way you do and maybe after sometime you may talk about God to your friends who is suffering from depression, anxiety etc. but not the moment they open up because it’s not always appropriate.
I always compare my problems to theirs, I know this was a huge mistake because we have our own individuality, our own strengths and weaknesses that what I deem easy and small isn’t always the same with my friends, every time that they say something about what bothers them that I may have encountered already I always say “Eh bat nung ako kinaya ko naman?” or “Yun lang? Yun lang problema mo?” (Heckkk just even writing about this makes me feel bad), you should never belittle other people’s problem, because the impact of such problems varies from people to people, I didn’t know it back then. I thought letting them know that I have suffered the way they do will make them feel better, apparently not always. When your friend starts opening up, remember that it’s about them not about you, let them talk, let them take their time to pour their hearts out, let them hear themselves and just listen.
Another thing I want to highlight is this phrase that my Gself instructor told us “doesn’t mean that if you don’t experience it it’s not true” (Hindi porket di nangyayare sayo, hindi na totoo). Huge is such an understatement when you describe the world, the universe rather to think that it revolves around you, I know it’s easy to get caught up in the moment, but in reality just like how the sun shines on the other side of the planet the other side is in darkness. This was a realization that I had a few years back but I never really thought that I will write something about this because I thought its insignificant because people will realize it soon anyways, but I think I need to become a catalyst, I need to tell people that the world is different now, there are certain things that you must be aware of, you must be sensitive to other people’s suffering because our greatest nightmare is slowly turning into reality. This is the truth, we cannot change the world, but we can make a difference. Empathy. Everyone knows about it but not everyone has it do you? I hope I do have it in me because if not then what am I here for?
I don’t know if my friends know this but I love them so much, every single one of them. That every night I lie in bed my mind keeps on reflecting on the things that I did, was it bad? Was I insensitive? Was I wrong? Should I apologize? Should I? I wanted to apologize to them because I wasn’t matured enough to listen to their problems, not courageous enough to actually be there for them. But I’m all better now, I promise. I’ve learned a lot, you can now share your problems with me again, do you still trust me? I hope you do.
janainaart
theartofmadeline
baratheonpilled
ellievsbear
2087
