Discouraged, Are We?

What do we do when we’ve reached the zenith of our patience and will? When all our insides want to implode within ourselves? We keep on. Yes, crazy as it seems, we should keep on.

My dad, who is an OFW in Qatar, gave us one of his usual calls. Always, he would make time to speak to all of us which is a hard feat since there are 5 of us. In this call, I asked him one of the questions I hope everyone can relate: what do you do when you’re discouraged? He breathed in- I’m kidding. He’s a very opinionated man. He talked me through what he usually does when he’s out of it: sleep.

For someone who grew up with a bout of activities, needing to make sure I hit perfect grades, that sounded so ordinary. When I told him that, he admitted it was; but you see the hardest situations often call for the simplest answers. We are discouraged because for far too long we have been strong. Sometimes, we all need that moment to reflect, to sleep, and to relax. Don’t worry about the things that shouldn’t be worried about.

‘Tomorrow shall worry about itself,’ Matthew 6:34 says. So don’t worry about it. Rest that reckless yet brilliant mind of yours. It deserves it.

Then crumble but don’t succumb to that bottomless pit of self-pity and sadness. Have a moment of catharsis. Cry. Rage. Let it out.

Wear that outfit of discouragement and burn it. Too many times, we hold in our emotions that we burst in this great hurricane of repressed anger and pain. Too many times, we abuse ourselves to think we are less than what we are. That shouldn’t be.

Have an outlet because it does give us something to direct our thoughts or emotions. Talk to a family member or anyone who loves us and is willing to deal with our batch of crazy. Or if we really do need professional help, go get it. Don’t panic. Just let it out.

As I closed my conversation with my dad, my overbearing brother meanwhile heard every word. As I handed the phone to mom, he came near me and gave me a hug. I pushed him away, screaming bloody murder. I will never admit it to his face but I needed a hug. Personal touch or any kind of intimacy is needed in this world of detached communication.

It seems so ordinary but yes, we all need a hug that isn’t sent through mobile phones, viber, skype or any other social app. We need that human touch. Discouragement is one of the offshoots of fear. The perfect way to deal with it –cheesy as it sounds- is to deal it in love.

‘You are a child of the universe, never less the stars,’ this is a quote from Desidearata which sums up who we are. We are worth something. Don’t let anything or anyone take your own worth away from you.

Next time, we’re discouraged, go through a process of dealing with that phase. Feel every sting. But never forget that we are worth something.