52 Weeks 500 Words
This is how it began: Justine (not her real
name) decided to write 500 words (or as near as), anything goes, per week for 52
weeks. She would then submit it for anonymous posting, via me, her friend.
Perhaps a pattern will emerge from her words, but at this stage it’s more an
experiment I have agreed to share in. I’ll attempt to draw conclusions at the
end of this. Stay tuned if this resonates with you.
Week 8
'Over the last few days I watched a friend suffer mood
swings, from elation to depression. After asking what was wrong, she told me
something she was doing caused both major highs and lows for her. And wouldn't be
drawn further, although I noticed an open document on her computer. Work related,
therefore.
The first thought that comes to mind as I write this is that
I am not alone. If even the most positive person I know is able to go through a
range of emotions in a short time, then I am not alone … or crazy. Clearly others
go through it too, I just don’t hear about it, see it. People walking in the
streets, walk with heads down when passing each other. Who knows what goes on
behind that hidden face or that one over there, over there … no, I am not alone
and neither is anyone else.
We surely put masks on, don’t we? When we do interact, none
of the issues show on our faces. How very sad for all of us. We therefore
believe we are weak, less, maybe crazy, and the issues then become greater in
seeking to hide them from another’s sight. What a blessing it is to know
someone who feels she doesn't need to wear a mask when she is with me. Proof of
sanity, in a way.
The second thought that comes to mind is that we take it far
too seriously. Work, I mean. Yes, it pays the stuff it needs to pay, but it isn't
life, it isn't all that life is, to put it another way. Agreed, one should at
least enjoy work to some degree or it becomes destructive to peace of mind, and
one should also be proud of a job well done, the inner satisfaction that makes
it all right to spend all those hours on something that isn't really life.
And yet we are emotional creatures, despite our masks. When a
task becomes a chore, we do suffer highs and lows. Sometimes this rips masks
off. This is where personality comes into play. A go-getter will throw a tantrum,
letting everyone know how he or she feels about the difficulty of the set task,
while a reserved person may simply sport a massive frown. I am willing to bet
my friend wore a frown when with others, just to let them know she was dealing
with something harder than usual! Only with me did she allow her true feelings
out. Still, reserved as she is, she wouldn't be drawn into specifics. She would
deal with it and then move on, without burdening another, especially a friend.
What is wrong with us? Surely a friend sharing the burden is
better? Perhaps it’s trust. We don’t trust each other enough, world over, with
the truth. Therefore it’s judgement also, the fear of it. We fear that the
truth will cause us to be judged as weak, less, maybe crazy. We put our masks
on. How very sad for all of us.'
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