EVERY YOUNG PERSON

Today, my heart goes out to every young person.
No one really speaks about the loneliness young people feel in this age. They carry so much on their shoulder alone. Have so many friends they vibe with yet none to confide in. Some, compelled to live fake lives just because they want to meet with the standard of their peers. Having misplaced priorities, that add no value to their current lives nor future.
I'm curious, was it so in the old days?
Was this lack of trust, fake life and fake smiles still in existence then?
I know it must have been there, but was it at this rate?
I feel most of these things are avoidable, being that they're elders who have been through this stage of life, gone through these things and are in a better position to advice. But some elders lack counseling skills.

Let me share what I witnessed two days back. I'm a nursing student, so during my clinical postings on night shift. After I was done with administering evening medication to my patients (that was the duty allocated to me)
I strolled down the lobby and sat on the bench just beside this girl who was about my age sobbing painfully. She covered her mouth with her hands to avoid being heard. Yet still, I could sense the extreme pain she was going through. All I could do at the moment was give her a side hug while sitting and pat her back gently till she regained her calm. When she was stable, I asked if she wanted to talk about why she was crying.
She told me she feels so much pain, loneliness and doesn't know where to turn to. She said she was overwhelmed by all these emotions and just wanted someone to hear her and give an opinion as she was living in her head and she thinks her mind is playing tricks on her then proceeded to share with her aunt who she taught would understand, give a listening ear and proffer solution. Instead, she uses it against her at slightest provocation. The confidentiality she expected was turned to ridicule.

For the sake of this write up, I'll call her Nancy.
Nancy shared: She's naturally fashion inclined and wanted to develop and explore her talent so her mom enrolled her into a fashion school. Her colleagues were her age group but more exposed than she was. Nancy was raised in a godly home with strong Christian doctrine. Nancy said she's a kind of person that easily gets influenced and she feared for herself being with those caliber of people.
They talked and lived expensive lifestyles funded by guys and of course you had to pay with your body.

She would always talk to her mom about them but she'll just laugh over it taking to be a normal mom and daughter gist. She didn't look ahead to see if her daughter was influenced. According to Nancy, she was trying to pass a message to her mom but her mom just couldn't catch it. She feared greatly as she didn't trust herself strong enough to resist those girls.
Gradually, their talks started sinking and unconsciously shaped her lifestyle. She began seeing big boys with funds, sneaking out and lying to her parents about her whereabouts. Somewhere in her, the good girl inside would condemn her acts. She ignored the still small voice till she grew thick skin and felt no remorse or guilt. She began viewing it as a norm. Long story short,she's aborted three embryos already and is now terminally ill with STI. She's tired of taking drugs to maintain herself and she can't confide in any of her friends for fear of stigmatization or being seen as less.
She graduated from her fashion school and is doing well but a part of her life has been jeopardized. She's still keeping up with those friends, wearing fake smiles trying to please then. Overwhelmed by all these she resorted to talk to her aunt for counsel and a listening ear but her aunt bashed her from the start not even being patient to listen to the end. It's been six months since she told confided in her aunt and it's been six months of emotional and mental torture for Nancy. Instead of helping her out of the situation, she worsened it. Always reminding Nancy of her predicament telling her she's a mistake.

I know the path Nancy went down is wrong on all sides but I believe no one is completely lost. Her aunt has every right to be upset but still you find ways to better the situation and not worsen it. As shocking as it may have been, keep your calm giving the person a comfortable aura to confide and tell you even more than he/she intended to say. Being an aunt you could still lash her with words but call her back and help her out. She's (Nancy's aunt) not even reported to the girl's mother but scorns her even on the street.

Dear young person, life is not just about the moment you're in, there's a lot more ahead. It's fine to live and enjoy your youth but please do so with caution. Prioritize your mental health and do what's best for you not at the expensive of shortlived pleasure.
I did my best to encourage Nancy and I'm glad I was able to make her smile

Thank you for stopping by ❤️

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