It’s Not That Hard
One time, I read something on the internet from a middle school student who posted something about them being depressed.
The comments section is full of people making fun of this kid, including me. I mean, you’re still a student. What’s so hard about it?
But then, I remembered. I used to feel like that too during school.
You know many cases about students committing suicide because of grades? How they feel pressured by people around them, by the system and everything?
I’ve been there. Many of us have been there, felt that, but we couldn’t tell anybody because we knew what kind of reactions we’d be getting.
"You’re still a kid. Just endure it. We the adults have tougher times than you."
"You must feel embarrassed for the unlucky people suffering out there for complaining over things like that."
"It’s not a big deal, don’t be too sensitive."
"There’s a war going on right now, people dying, and you’re sad over this?"
"Yours is nothing compared to mine."
"You’re so childish for being mad over things like this."
and so on...
People like to compare each other. Arguing about which one has the toughest lives. Which one has the hardest times. Which one suffers the most. Belittling the one whose problems aren’t big enough.
The truth is, people can be sad. And by people, i mean ALL people, each at different ages. We struggle over different things in our lives. Each of us has different abilities and capacities to process those problems and their emotions. We’re allow to feel upset over small things.
Babies crying because they’re hungry, a little kids sad because their toys are broken, students stressing and crying over algebra and how they’re lacking behind in class, a boy crying after breaking up with his girlfriend, a teenage girl went feral because someone without permission ate her dessert she had been saving in a refrigerator, an office workers holding grudge on their annoying boss and secretly crying in a toilet, a young mom having baby blues, and many more.
No one has the toughest life, because we’re all struggling in our own. It’s okay for them to feel sad. It’s normal for them to have that feelings. Their feelings are valid.
Maybe, if we could stop comparing each other’s problems and belittle their feeling, this world would be a much better place to live.
It’s not hard to validate how they feel. Validating other people’s feelings won’t damage you. Admitting other people’s emotions won’t hurt you. Let’s understand each other and make this world a better place to live.
