Like a page from a diary: what we deal with

Unfortunately, to start off, like the majority, rather pessimistically, 21st century problems are so reoccurring that everyone is bound to encounter every single issue in some form or another at some point, even if it’s just a matter of hearing it from others. For example, at the age of 15 I discovered the use of the news. The 3 things it served me best to do was to shock me with horrific facts, to teach me what another male politician was doing wrong and making me sound a little cleverer and a little more confident when I could talk about the latest global issue to my friends. But none of it could help me. Perhaps a little, me personally as an aspiration into journalism but it has little to offer on daily personal issues and how to resolve them.

Firstly because the news concentrates on social struggles, naturally to get readers but it almost never focuses on successful stories. Secondly because daily issues are so reoccurring that people become subject to it and live with it. There, something is sure to end in catastrophe has become the norm and we stop questioning it then. In the bigger picture: family, friends, work, income, fears for the future, body images, sleep, routine… all crowd our minds.

These can all be touched on later but at the end of the day, whether you are some girl living in Pakistan, a Maasai amongst the animals, a European business woman, an old farmer by a cliff, perhaps a newly-wed housewife or some teen now living in an urban area, your goal is to survive. Happiness comes later. Some have adapted better to this fact than others though, everyone keeps going on about ‘survival of the fittest’. That is how it feels every day, all over the world. The world contains these sealed lips in front of a shared mind of shared thoughts, it only slips out whispers between lips. These whispers are sacred because they are so short, they are flashes of happiness that make life worth living and your duty as human is to capture and appreciate them. There’s no reason not to, it means you’ve done something right for once. This however, sadly, comes second to survival and its success depends on the individual. Solely. All in all, where’s our own news story?

Summer romance or true love?

Family

What is it about family gatherings that brings fear and trepidation into our hearts? These people are the ones who have raised and nurtured us, but now we are forced to drink subtle Gs and Ts just to get through dinner. I briefly ask how the people we used to depend so much on are now strangers who we try so hard to impress. I understand this is not the case for all family but just an observation of my own.

Fake smiles and how to deal with them

Fake smiles. We all use them from time to time. It’s necessary to cover things up, to protect others feelings and our own sometimes. Sometimes we feel there is no other way than to plaster on a smile, a laugh and a conversation while every bone in our body wants to run away. What can be scary though is if your fake smile becomes your real one because you use it so much and it’s an escape from dealing with the issues you don’t want to confront. This can make you bitter inside and cold and it’s because of this suppression that you don’t know any other way. The source however is always more mysterious, what made you present illusions of happiness to others in the first place? Why do we feel the need to cover up emotions and thoughts? How can we go back?

It is for the satisfaction of others generally that we hide, especially closer ones like family and friends that we do not want to disappoint. It is counter-effective as in turn, we hurt ourselves more by building a wall around our emotions. Boys are still taught from a young age to hide their emotions, not to cry and not to admit and talk when they are upset. Girls can and do show how they feel most of the time but it is often ignored because of its familiarity and cast away due to “hormonal reasons”. How can we keep looking down on each others feelings and expect to resolve issues like sexism, racism and xenophobia? The most crucial examples of mans intolerance must be addressed by the communication of self-expression. How we, as individuals, come to an agreement on the same terms because of a recognition that we all feel it is wrong to discriminate. I have often believed, that the next step to this is a simple one: a real smile. A real smile is key, it is confirmation that we are willing to cooperate and work together.