“There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.” (Mandy Hale)
To Whom It May Concern,
Do you know what it’s like to care more about everyone else than you do yourself?
What it is like to put more effort into making other people happy than you do
for your own happiness? The selfless friend does because almost everyone knows one.
They’re the friend that is always checking in on everyone else. They’re the one
who is always remembering everyone’s birthday.
They’re the friend always handing out presents, medicine, coffee, hugs,
smiles, or jokes. They’re the friend—or sometimes the stranger— who is always there
for everyone. Growing up, they held being called “selfish” synonymous with
being called “ugly” or “fat." They were under the impression that being
selfish made you a horrible person. Someone that no one would like, would want
to be around, or would want as a friend.
How can people go through your life knowing that they are making others
miserable? How can people go around thinking their problems are more important—more
difficult—than someone else’s? Who told them that they were the only people
that mattered in this world? And who made them foolish enough to believe the
people that told them so?
People try to justify actions like “no one understands how stressed I
am” or “no one understands how much I have going on”. That may be true. But if
no one understands how they have it, how can they expect to know how others do?
How can they possibly compare their struggles to everyone else’s? Hard is
relative. Every single person’s struggle is exactly that—a struggle. People
need to stop pitying themselves and recognize that they will never completely
understand another person’s issues. People need to stop pretending that they
do.
In defending and explaining the ideas and thoughts of my selfless friend,
I am not saying that everyone needs to stop what they are doing and help
everyone else. Nor am I saying that everyone needs to start caring as much as
my friend does. I am well aware that these are unrealistic expectations and
would negatively affect many people.
Everyone (including myself) needs to stop being so insensitive at
times. Those who will find themselves reading this are enlightened enough to
extract themselves from situations to recognize that: they are not the center
of the universe. Nor are they the only people on this planet with problems,
feelings, or difficulties. Lift your head up and start really noticing the
people around you. This can be a good and selfless thing if you want it to be.
Hoping for a Better World,
Me
“The
ones who notice the storms in your eyes, the silence in your voice, and the
heaviness in your heart are the ones you need to let in.” (ThePlannerMarket.com)[i]
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