Today the walls of my room questioned me
why do you always complain about not being heard when you have friends?
And looking out the window I answered
Yes, I do have friends but…..
I’m exhausted! I’m tired of everyone coming to me and overwhelming me with their problems and stories. It’s not that I don’t want to listen — as a friend, I’m here to listen — but I want to be heard too.
Is it solely my responsibility to be a listening ear for my friends?
Isn’t it supposed to go both ways?
Sometimes it feels like, being good at listening is not good at all. Why every time I’m expected to listen and understand others but, when I need someone to hear me out boom! suddenly, everyone is too busy?
I feel like I’m drowning in other people’s issues, yet no one notices when I need a lifeline. It’s as if my own struggles are invisible, overshadowed by everyone else’s problems.
I yearn for someone to take the time to listen to me, to understand my worries and fears. For once, just listen to me too. The silence from others when I need to talk is deafening, and it leaves me feeling isolated and unimportant.
It’s hard to keep giving support when you feel unsupported yourself. My emotions feel bottled up, with no outlet to release them. Every time I hope for someone to reciprocate, I’m met with disappointment.
Stop treating me as your dumping ground, where all your overwhelming experiences can be dumped.
It makes me question the authenticity of my friendships and whether my role is merely to serve as a dumping ground for their troubles. I wish my friends could see that I need them too. Just as I provide a shoulder to cry on, I need the same compassion and understanding at times.
It’s exhausting to always be the strong one, the listener, without having my own voice heard. All I want is for someone to genuinely listen, to offer the same empathy I give, so I don’t feel so alone in my struggles.
