"NO MORE" in "WRITER@WORK: Stories From A Lone, Urban Girl"

Sometimes you dwell too long on your misery, whether it is work-related, social issues, or personal betrayals. Each is bound to hurt you, one way or another. They can really do.

Don’t get me wrong. This doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to feel sad. You’re only human. It’s okay. This doesn’t make you become less strong or more of a weakling, cry-baby.

However, don’t forget that your life is still – and always – important. You’re the only one responsible for it, as long as possible. You can’t just hand it over to someone else like that, telling them that your life is theirs. Forgive me, that is plain stupid.

How do you know you can really, fully trust them? How can you tell that they really care, that they will never break your heart, hurt you, or leave you behind?

You don’t. You can’t, so it’s best that you shouldn’t.

However, you can still believe in people who truly care about you. They’ve been around long enough as living proofs. They’ll say it to your face instead of behind your back about how much you’ve drained them or not. It’s up to you how you’ll take it, though.

Still, they know you’ll take it. No need to lie. No need to make up excuses. Because of this, you know whom you’ll choose first when two free, travelling opportunities arise next time.

You have two free offers to visit two different countries at the same time. The first one consists of your long-term best friends you haven’t seen for a while. The second one consists of someone new who claims that they really want to get to know you.

The choice is of course very plain and simple. No strangers have any rights whatsoever to demand that you put them first. Nobody does.

If they’re really, really true, then they should know better. They should not force you, at least until you feel that you’re really, really ready to meet them.

If they’re angry because of that and choose to leave instead, then that’s fine. It’s never your loss. You deserve better after all.

You deserve real good friends like the ones you’ve already got right now. Those who genuinely care about how you feel instead of what they want from you. That’s why, listen to them when they say, even not out loud:

No more. No more sad songs. Whoever has hurt you will surely pay. Stop thinking about them.

You’ve got us.

R.