College life was not as easy as I thought it would be and it seemed even more difficult for disadvantaged people like myself. During the difficulties of trying to enrol, I met a young, friendly girl name Noluthando. Not only was she friendly, but in her I saw this intelligent young lady willing to do great things for this world. We shared the same class and became very great friends, even studying together since we were doing the same course. Not only was it challenging, but it was fun too, especially when studying with a friend like Noluthando.
To me, Noluthando was just this perfect girl who never had any worries in her life. She was always happy and never had I seen her hurt. She had this natural way of dealing with criticism and turning it into achieving something great for her life. I never knew much about her, except that she was this perfect soul, until one day when she cried. The sob was intensified by the fact that she had never found the right time to talk to anyone, not even me…
Nolunthando was crying because of a show we were watching which reminded her of her past. At the very young age of 13, her drink was spiked at a sleepover party and she was raped there. Her life changed so much that she wanted to commit suicide but, after undergoing counselling she got better, though she didn’t heal completely.
I was surprised that she was crying like that. To me she was this young, intelligent girl who passed everything with flying colours, a young girl who came from a wealthy family. Whatever she needed she got in the blink of an eye. But after she told me her story I now knew that smiling and having money doesn’t make one’s life perfect. Life is not easy, but being unforgiving is only going to do more harm to us.
What I learned from this is that I judged her and thought she was living a perfect life, not knowing that she suffered from within; the hurt no money can fix, but only counselling and non-judgemental friends ever heals.
After learning about her experience I helped her heal through talking, through praying without ceasing and by being a non-judgemental friend.