This post was inspired by a comment made to me earlier this week.
The other night, I was talking to someone on the phone. We were discussing some things that have taken place in their life, that they did not necessarily like. They contentiously made it clear that they did not want anyone to care about them because of some things people had done to them in the past. So I told that person, “I know sometimes we feel like we are super-human and do not need anyone or anything, but the reality is, we do. I do not care who or what it is, we all have to depend on someone or something at some point in our lives, even as adults.” That person felt the need to say to me, “No, you do not understand. You are only 16, so you have not really been through anything.”
I thought it would be nice to give that person a friendly reminder as to where I was and what I was doing, and they still felt the same way. It got me thinking, does anyone truly understand the struggles of a teenager, in this day and age because it does not seem like it. Being a teenager in 2018 is not a walk in the park. Let alone a teenager in 2018 who is, what feels like, a million miles away from home. Do not get me wrong, some of the things we are so called “stressed” about, much like being here, we bring upon ourselves. None the less, life happens to all of us.
Let’s break it down. Think about what the average 16-year old may endure; not that much, right? Maybe some family issues, some disagreements between friends, some bullying, maybe struggling in a class or two? Well move them hours away from home with teenagers who are experiencing or have experienced some of the exact same issues and leave them there to stay. I am not saying it is impossible to handle it, but it is a lot. People need to understand that everyone does not deal with things the same way. Actually, I read this quote the other day and it spoke volumes to this generation, as a whole.
"The prettiest smiles hide the deepest secrets, the prettiest eyes have cried the most tears, and the kindest hearts have felt the most pain."
To me, this hold a lot of weight. When it comes to what people go through, especially teenagers, we should just be there for one another because we never truly know what others are going through unless we are there to experience it with them.
Maybe I am just looking to deep into it, but I am just not a fan of people discrediting others for the things they have gone through based off of a personal opinion/judgement.
I feel this so much.