honesty

People almost always begin a conversations with "well how are you" or some variant on the first word there, but how often do we expect the true answer? How often do they actually care to know?

Ask anyone "how are you" and the most common response you'll receive is "oh im ok" and maybe a few supporting details. But how often are these "ok" people not so ok? How often do they have so much that they'd love to talk about and get off of they're chest but for some reason or another, usually fear, they refrain from telling what's really going through their hearts and minds.

I think we are all guilty of it. we hold back so as to not burden our friends or family or to not be judged. We hold back because no stranger wants to know or cares at all about out inner workings.

but oddly enough strangers are sometimes the best people to talk to, yet people are so used to people only wanting particular answers that we're only give those answers to everyone.

One day in middle school a girl came up to me and sat down "hi, i'm britany and I don't know you but i'm new here and can we talk?"

I thought it was an odd way for a thirteen year old girl to introduce herself but on a lonely day like it was I was glad for the conversation no matter what we were going to talk about.

She began talking of how she had recently moved in to her grandfathers house. Of how she thought her mother didn't love her and how the woman had abandoned her in numerous places and how she hoped her grandparents would keep her and she finally had a place to stay. She told me of her favorite memories from grandfather and her least favorites of her mother. She cried a little at the end then hugged me and thanked me for just letting get talk. "I know you don't care about any of thus but I needed to tell some one"

We became friends for a little while after that. Talking here and there when no one else was around then more comfortably around everyone else until one day she moved again and soon after so did I.

looking back I admire that courage that she had. So few people have that courage to tell truthfully and completely honestly how they are feeling. More and more of us are getting more comfortable doing it in places like this where we can remain faceless and got fear the judgement. But in so few times do we have the courage to talk to a stranger when we need it or to go up to someone else who needs it and just give them someone to talk to. To lend some little bit of hope to a stranger.

So here's my challenge to all of you. If you see someone suffering go up to them and offer them an ear or a shoulder, you'd amazed how big of a difference that small gesture can make sometimes. And dont be afraid to ask someone for that solace to sit down and let you vent. What have you got to lose aside from some pain and anxt. What have you got to gain? The possibilities run from a friend to just some relief. You never know until you try.

I hope you all have a great day and if you arent.. Remember you dont have to be alone unless you make it that way.