Staying afloat.

Coping with Loneliness

Loneliness is a curious situation. Almost everybody has experienced it at some time in their life. It can overcome you when in fact you are not alone; at a party, in the theater, or in any group where you are surrounded by people who give evidence of being supremely confident, friendly, and capable of smooth, happy communication. What should you do? Lonely people are avised to go out and meet people. But is this the answer?

In a typical situation, such as your first day at a new school, you get the impression that everybody else is confident and knows all the others, while you are helpless and alone. But in reality most people put on a show of confidence to hide their true feelings. They may be as lonely as you. There is no reason at all to assume that, in a big city for example, all the people around you are leading active, rich, fulfilling lives, while you alone are on the outside looking in. You may be less capable of concealing your loneliness than others. You must try to put on a cheerful face; nobody will greet you at a party if you look utterly depressed. Another point to remember is that you should try to avoid joining groups where in fact you are a total stranger. For many reasons established groups do dislike intrusions and to accept you requires considerable effort. However, if you can offer something special any group may need, your entry may be quicker and less troublesome.

It is best to get to know other people who share a common interest with you. Even if you don't like all of them, at least the shared experience is better than being alone. This may all seem rather grim, but we must face the fact that, no matter how close we are to people around us, we are often alone.

- Adapted from English Textbook.

Well well, how true it is. And FYI, it really is from my English textbook. Yes, I'm still required to take English lessons because somehow Singapore isn't really recognized to have a good standard of English. Here's the funny part: Western countries think we can't speak English well, while Chinese-speaking countries think we can't speak Chinese well. We're just a race stuck in the middle, huh?

It struck me hard today that my moods are really extreme. One moment I can be happy like nobody's business and the next I can be stuck in a pit. It really sucks so badly because whenever I get down, I just feel like sulking and I start to get depressed, restless and lethargic. Everybody knows that those adjectives are hardly positive in any way.

If I haven't said it for the 101th time, I really miss everyone back home so, so much. This feeling never fails to well up in me every other day. Honestly, it's so bad I could scream. I don't think this is normal, is it? People only feel homesick for the first month they're here or so. This is my second month already and I'm still stuck in the past? Plus it doesn't make me feel any better that my friends are already moving on without me.

..

charmine / [ same side of the moon says:
im so close to givin up sometimes honestly
creating miracles x) says:
and yet every time when you want to give up
creating miracles x) says:
something happens
creating miracles x) says:
tt makes you believe in life again right
creating miracles x) says:
=)
creating miracles x) says:
tt's the power of living

It's friends like that who sustain you, who give you a helping hand when you're falling and who knock some sense into you when you think all hope's lost.

And today's sermon was on the Power of Prayer. I really have to remind myself all the time that I'm never alone, even when I feel like I am. Daddy God is with me, oh yes He always is. Whenever He gives you a trial, He'll give you double the blessings to get you through it.

That's how much He loves me. And that's how much He loves you too. (:

...

Another new week.
Another new day.
Keep my head above the water,
Daddy God,
Cos I'm afraid of drowning.

Your girl always,
♥, char