Listen, to you and the others.
We all face hardships in our life. There would be plenty of occasions wherein you would plaster a smile across your face and act normal while your insides burn with grief, despair, and helplessness. You might have a bunch of friends around you and still feel lonely. You would never tell anybody anything because, well, what would they think if you did?
We refrain from crying in front of others because we think of it as a form of weakness. You behave as though you don’t care while you actually do. You might have reasons to open up to others but thousands more to not.
What if they think I am weak? What if they find me as a nuisance? What if I loose their respect by appearing helpless? What if they find me silly?
And the list goes on… And then you start thinking no one cares; that no one would understand your feelings. And you hide within yourself, pretending to be okay. You wish someone would see your pain. You wish someone would sit beside you holding your hand, telling you it’s alright. That you can get through this and you are not weak. You crave for at least one person to whom you can pour your heart out without the fear of judgment. And judgment is what we do all the time.
Why can’t we listen to others? Why do we jump to conclusions when someone tells us about their problems and how they handle it? How can we ask someone why they hadn’t opened up to us if we ourselves are not ready to show our feelings out loud? Is it that we think the feelings of others are not as valid as ours? Why do we have to be so judgmental? Why can’t we accept people as they are instead of as they should?
Lending an ear to someone in need can do miracles in their life. Just listening to one willing to pour their heart out, even if it is a stranger, is the least you can do to make them feel better. But the stereotypical judgemental society cannot afford to be a listener without being biased! There are plenty of ears for you to tell your problems to, but a fair few who would actually listen.
There were quite a number of campaigns across the various social media websites stressing on the importance of mental health and opening up but soon faded just like many other so-called ‘trends’. Well, I think we need a stronger establishment of thoughts amongst people.
Make one know that it is okay to feel the way they do. It is okay to show your emotions. It is okay to feel helpless at times, be vulnerable or sensitive. It is even okay to feel lonely. It is absolutely fine to behave like yourself. You are not weak if you weep in public. You are not silly to be giving your feelings the seriousness they deserve. Ignoring your thoughts and pretending to be okay would do nothing to pacify your raw emotions. If you want to share your worries with anyone, do it. And do not fear judgment because once you seem fearless, the others might want your help too for now you are brave enough to accept yourself as such.
It is high time we start considering our minds as powerful and important. We know for sure that no one is perfect and no one is whole. All we need is to show that we know it. The mere act of listening can give so much strength to others. We may not be able to solve their problems by simply listening, but it could help them untangle their thoughts. Many a times all we yearn for is a patient listener.
When someone is willing to open up to you, it is because they trust you enough to share their feelings, they feel secure in opening up to you. By listening, you are giving them time to think for themselves. You give them a ray of hope that they are not alone. And that’s what matters the most.
Let us listen to others and ourselves. Let us not let the voice of our heart to drown in silence. Let us break all the stereotypes and be compassionate for, a bleeding heart only signifies that you have a heart of emotions. It only proves that you are human. #itiscooltocare
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