I've been trying to keep tight-lipped about these negative feelings. No one enjoys listening to someone else grumble. Heck, even I get tired of listening to myself whine. Besides, I'm just dealing with the so-called "little things": work hiccups, annoying chores, uncontrollable feelings, etc. The usual stuff. But in the grander scheme of things, aren't these simply irrelevant? There are a lot bigger struggles a person could face. Like being homeless. Like not having clean water. Like not knowing whether there will be food on the table tonight. So on this spectrum, doesn't that just make me a whiney little bitch?
Perhaps I'm being too hyperbolic. However, even at a closer level, it seems like the things I worry about don't really matter that much. So I had a bad day at work, but what does that really entail? A simple mistake? Having to re-do a small portion of my work? My brother is a doctor; he works to save lives. When he has bad days at work, he doesn't come home until past midnight because he's staying behind to make sure all his patients are thoroughly and properly attended to. That spreadsheet mistake I made suddenly doesn't look so problematic anymore.
As much as it makes me feel stupid and small, in the larger context of everything around me, I'm not struggling very much - I'm getting by just fine. For most, I'm not having a bad day at all; things could be a lot worse. And whilst I think this is a good view to take to humble myself and keep my feet on the ground, I'm not everyone else - I'm only me. Which means the problems I face affect me in my own context.
I think we tend to give people a hard time about their issues because we are in hopes of making them believe that there are greater battles to face - ones that they may notice if they weren't so burdened by "the little things". For instance, it's often said that parents tend to misunderstand their teenage children easily. They assume that their high school worries are trivial at best:
"Jess said Sarah told her that she heard from Vicky that I told Hailey that Hannah called Liz a bitch. And now it looks like I'm the bitch!"
"He pushed my tray of food right off the table as I was walking back to my seat. Everyone in the cafeteria was chanting and laughing at me." (true story, bro)
"I fancy him, but he doesn't even know I exist." (not a true story, bro)
And yes, maybe sometimes we make mountains out of molehills. It's very easy to be blinded by something that is too close to you, and I'm no different. But in the context of our own world, these things do matter. My apocalypse may be someone else's walk in the park, but that doesn't change how it affects me. I still experience that bad day, and all the emotions that come with it.
So the next time you see someone having a bad day, ask why (I'm very thankful for the friends and family that do notice and ask, even when I'm trying to keep it on the inside). The little boy that dropped his ice cream, and the guy that just lost his job with a family to feed might both be going through hell. But as an outsider, provide to them both sympathy for their personal context as well as the grander scheme of things. Sometimes, it helps them move on because they needed to step back, look at the bigger picture, and realise there's more to it. And sometimes, it helps to just have someone pat you on the back and tell you: "Yeah, that really does suck, dude."
So, am I really having a bad day? Well, I've had worse days, but I've also certainly had better. I think I'll chalk this up to a bad one, because after all, bad days only last one day. I'll feel like crap for a bit, eat something not on my diet, and get to bed earlier. Here's to a better day tomorrow.
And for all those that might be having a bit of a downer right now, here's me dressed up as none other than Mr. Chow himself for Halloween:
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| Toodaloo, mudafuckaaaaaaaawowowowow |
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