It’s really sad how we choose to appreciate people who’ve only been here when we are all bubbly with the sun shining on our side, over the people who’ve witnessed our struggle. The same people who cannot only say, “you have a pretty smile” instead say, “I am happy to see you smile after everything you’ve been through. It wasn’t an easy set back, yet you won in the end. I am proud of you”.

It would be great if we learned to appreciate people who have an idea about those countless times we tripped and fell flat and every moment we got up and fought to keep up with the time wasted. The wonderful humans that never used any of our bad days against us but invested in building the strong pillars we turned out to be. That soul chose to suffer, to struggle with you when times were massively tough. The very person who came to your rescue when everyone else just passed by, the same person who could’ve easily chosen to just walk away and find something else to do with their hours, minutes and seconds of everyday with literally their whole being. But kind enough to stick around.

I am referring to that very moment when you lost your job and the people you considered your friends slowly turned against you. No more going out on Friday nights, those exciting weekend getaways, birthday celebrations over an expensive bottle of champagne and ‘em late night group video calls that would go on for hours were no more. But the supporting fact is that no matter what you go through, there will always be that one person who will see what other people can’t see in you. The same person who will remain by your side no matter how tough today is for you.

Remember that heavy moment when death creeped in and snatched your loved one away, leaving sadness hanging in every corner of every room? When their laughter finally became silent? And you were left asking yourself countless questions like, “which part of the world did I wrong to deserve all this?” And that neighbour you would walk past without even leaving a lovely word to, that friend you recently looked down on when you thought you’ve found better friends who can match your status and that loving aunt you turned against because of a conflict that involved your elders and totally had nothing to do with you. The same people were there to ensure you that you are not alone as you were never alone.

My point about all this is that we should stop counting favours or how many times people have been there for us. Quit comparing two things that can never be alike. Instead learn to appreciate them for being there for us when we failed to be there for ourselves and accept them for who they really are without trying to change them to be something they are not. Most importantly, we should learn to stay away from matters that do not concern us.

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