You are a gift from the great God
Your sunshine grows more every day
As I see the light in your heart
Even when miles pull us apart
Your service has protected me
From many dangers and despair
I’m so sorry I couldn’t see
The great hero in front of me
But now I see your gallant love
For your country and fellow man
Your great compassion from above
And the great beauty in your soul
-written 11/4/2018
I have seen you struggle all your life
Among others you have had much strife
People treating you like just a toy
For them to just use and then destroy
But they don’t know the light in your soul
The light that makes you awesome and whole
They don’t know the joy you brought to me
Or how precious you will always be
Don’t let their dark extinguish your light
Remember your value in my sight
Because you’re unique and set apart
And that I love you with my whole heart
There has been so much dissension in my country (U.S.A) lately, especially when people talk about politics or something they are passionate about. I’m sure the same is true in other countries as well. This can be seen most evidently on social media platforms, where people feel that they can say whatever they want, with no filters whatsoever. The negative political advertisements do us no favors either as far as the dissension problem is concerned.
This past Sunday at church, we were a having question and answer discussion to find out about the pastoral candidate (My current pastor is leaving. He has been at the church for over 40 years!), and the candidate made this wise statement that we all should learn to heed (paraphrased-emphasis mine): Even if I don’t agree with you on everything, I agree to disagree.
I understand that it can be difficult to be civil to someone who vehemently disagrees with something you are passionate about. I know, because when I was younger, I used to be combative against people who mocked or disagreed with that which I was passionate about. However, I have learned these following things about how we all can be civil to those whom we disagree:
These are some of the things that I have learned to do in being civil with another person whom I disagree. So, when you voice your opinions and come across someone that doesn’t think as you do, whether it be on social media or in person, remember the value of the person is not based on what they believe; find common ground; never attack the person’s character, and find out why they believe as they do. Finally, if all else fails, you should strive to just agree to disagree. However, if we more consistently applied these principles, this world would be a much more peaceful and unifying place.
*=all names have been changed for privacy reasons
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in 2016, approximately 16.2 million adults have suffered from depression, and approximately 3.1 million teens suffered from depression in the same year (1). In 2016, though I still struggled with depression, at times, I was much better than I was in the past. In fact, depression is something that I have struggled with since I was about ten years old. If you struggle today or have struggled in the past with depression, you are not alone.
As I said earlier, my depression started in my childhood. Though I may have appeared to most people to be the traditional, happy, go-lucky child, I constantly struggled with making lasting friendships with my peers, and because of certain quirks I had, some of my peers would even bully me relentlessly and mock me by pretending to be my friend, before I knew of their real intentions. Because of this, as I got older, I trusted people less. However, as attested by a fellow classmate, I was very difficult to get along with, probably because of my rigidity and selfishness. I wanted things done right and my way, but because I didn’t really know how to accommodate or listen to other people’s views, no one wanted to really pay attention or work with me. As a result of this rigid personality, combined with my peers’ bullying and lack of understanding, I often felt lonely, bored, and depressed. I desperately wanted to “fit in,” but I didn’t know exactly how to go about this.
Then, I grew up. I no longer was as rigid and self-centered, but the years of being bullied and teased had taken its toll. I had grown so paranoid of people that in my senior year of high school, I was dubbed “most paranoid.” I still struggled to make close friends, as people had already settled in their cliques by then, and I felt like I really didn’t belong anywhere. Also, during this time, in addition to my depression, which had gotten a bit worse at this time, I also struggled with other mental health issues that almost sent me to the hospital! I wanted to be a successful person, both academically, and eventually financially, but I felt it was never good enough for either myself, my parents, or anyone else.
In March through mid April 1999, I suffered verbal abuse at the hands of one of my instructors. This instructor basically had said, in so many words, that I would not amount to much in my life, and sadly, for many years, I believed him. In fact, I had so unconsciously internalized his searing words of condemnation that this had resulted in me contemplating, more than once, ending my life. In fact, on April 7, 1999, I had written in my diary, “I wish I could be more […] effervescent (lively). I feel dead without being physically killed. I hope I don’t die emotionally, but I am dying. If I could only find that zest, that greatness life is supposed to hold. But where is it, at least in me?”
A few months later, God gave me His answer by rescuing me from some of my self-destruction, and I finally found hope in Him. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Slowly, but surely, with God’s help, I would climb out of the pit of darkness and despair.
I didn’t get out the pit immediately, though. In fact, it took awhile. However, by the time I started college, I was beginning to open up to people and develop closer relationships, which, most of them unfortunately have faded. However, I will never forget their kindness and understanding to me during the years I was there. I changed my major from biology to writing and publishing (one major) and Spanish (my second major). However, even though I graduated with honors from the college, I had an incredibly tough time finding a job in my field, and I was beginning to fear that my instructor from high school was right–that I wouldn’t amount to much in this life.
It was during this time that I really searched for my specific purpose and call in this life. I tried many jobs and volunteer opportunities that I thought I could do, but most of the jobs weren’t the right fit for me. I was beginning to get discouraged again, until I met my mentor J. After meeting J, about several months later, I started trying to find jobs that were better suited to my abilities and interests. After about six months, I found the first job that suited me well. However, after almost three years, I felt God leading me to somewhere else.
I had applied at a bookstore that was opening about twenty five minutes from where I lived. I was ecstatic about finally getting an interview after applying the second time. However, the day of the interview came, and I quickly found out that I wasn’t a good fit for that job. My worst fears were confirmed after they hadn’t called me back after several days and later told me that they had moved on to other candidates. I became discouraged again, but didn’t give up finding a job.
Then, several weeks later, on February 25, 2016, I was at my current workplace, and wanted to check the status of my resume, since they hadn’t contacted me for several days. So, I talked to the HR coordinator, and she then scheduled an interview for me at 1 pm. Since I don’t live that close to my current job, I had no time to change into better “interview” clothes, and then I went back at about that time and was interviewed by Chris* who later became my manager too. I did not know it at the time, but the fact that Chris was willing to hire me partly helped me to recover from the depressive funk that I had suffered from for so many years!
During the next six months, many changes happened to my family and me. My brother moved out to go to school in another part of the country, where he has been living ever since. I also felt called to move to a different church. I began to take my blog that I had started in December 2015 more seriously. These changes, which may have left many people frazzled and/or depressed, actually brought me joy and opportunities that I may never have had if these changes did not occur.
I also faced a big change at work. I was talking to another manager, Hope*, one September in 2016, when she and I discussed about the possibility of me being full time at my company. She agreed that I should be full-time, and then she changed my status to be full time on September 9, 2016. That was one of the happiest days of my life! Even people that knew me well didn’t think I’d ever be able to be full-time, so I was surprised, but also grateful for this opportunity.
Now, more than two years later, I continue to learn and grow. Yes, there are still times when I feel depressed and stressed, but these episodes are much shorter and less severe than ever before. I have finally found people, both at my current job and at my church, who I believe value and love me as I am. As I look ahead to my future, I would like to show as many people as possible the love and joy I have found through God and others in my life, and give them hope, that they, too, can conquer their demons and live in abundant joy.
Source: 1) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2017). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. SMA 17-5044, NSDUH Series H-52). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/
-poem written: 10/17/2018
In a world of darkness and pain
Where they treated you with disdain
You were reaching your very last rope
But, in me, you saw glimmers of hope
God sent me to show you His love,
Agape love from up above
The one that would never leave you
The one that would show itself true
I, too, was a sad, lonely soul
Looking for someone to make me whole
In God, I found a love so true
The love that’s now shining in you
(*=Names have been changed for privacy reasons.)
written on 10/10/2018
Last week was up and down emotionally. When I was down, it was because work was more stressful than usual and I had forgotten about the good things in my life. When I was up, things were better. Despite the highs and lows of the past week (and also this week), I went away learning three important life lessons. These lessons are vital not only to one’s success, but also to one’s growth as a person.
Lesson #1—Never think that what you do is unimportant or worthless.
During this past week, I had a gnawing sense that whatever I did wasn’t good enough and was futile. This sentiment was fueled by a couple bad incidents where people were being rude and unreasonable to me. Thus, my thoughts grew so dark that I felt absolutely worthless to the world. However, the day after these bad incidents, a good friend of mine told me, “Do you know how many people look up to you?” Obviously, I didn’t think anyone really looked up to me, but her comment was encouraging to hear. Her comment also “woke” me up to the fact that what I do does make a difference to those around me.
Then, I thought about the impact people have had on me. I think of my parents and brother, who have helped and supported me throughout most of my life, and have given me motivation to always do my best in life. I think of my mentor J, who has believed in me so much that I am now able to do some things that I thought I would never be able to do. I think of all my friends that I have met through church, work, or other functions, and how they have each helped encourage me in their own way and have brought joy to my life. I think of my managers *Chris and *Elizabeth who have helped me so much to grow as a person and as an associate. Last, but not least, I think of you, the reader, who has helped encourage me to continue writing simply by choosing to read this blog.
I also thought about the people in my life who have impacted others. One of my managers, Kim* also thought that the job that she had done in my company was not always appreciated by others. However, one day, upper management wrote a note to her telling her what a good job she had done for a customer. Also, from the “Caught In Providence” page (Credits: Caught in Providence, ViralTrend), there was a judge that saw potential in a guy named Jose Jimenez about 20 years ago, who was battling alcoholism and drunk driving when he was 18, and warned him about the direction he was going. The judge asked Jimenez if he wanted to be dead or in jail, or if he wanted to be somebody. That was the wake-up call Jimenez needed to turn his life around. Now, Jimenez is a truck driver and a U.S citizen. Never think that what you do well for others won’t have an impact. Just because you may never the see the fruits of your labor, doesn’t mean what good you did on this earth is worthless, because it is priceless!
Lesson #2—Everyone is a valuable creation, even yourself.
This ought to go without saying because it should be obvious, but your family and friends are valued creation because they are a good part of what makes your life worthwhile. They also have the most impact on who you will become in life and can greatly influence how successful you will be in life. However, I think even your enemies are valued creation. I know we often do not want to think well of our enemies, and that concept is foreign in most value systems. However, our enemies can be valuable to us when we think of them in terms of what they can teach us. For instance, I have learned from a lot of my enemies that not everyone can be trusted. They have taught me the signs to look for in untrustworthy people (i.e many people having their personality traits) and just to be careful when giving your heart to someone. I also learned not to take the bad things they said about me as personally as before, because their slander is more of a reflection of their character, not mine. Our enemies can also refine us and make us stronger, more thick-skinned people. They can be used to make us more compassionate people to others, and less like them. You are also a valuable creation, because of the impact that you can have in this world every day when you wake up. You also can teach the world valuable lessons, not only about yourself, but about how one should live their lives.
Lesson #3-The people that are there for you are more valuable than gold or silver.
The people in my life that have impacted the most have either saved my life in some way, helped me persevere, helped me feel motivated to do better, or given me joy and/or God’s love. One of them, my manager Chris* contributed to my life being saved one day. I wanted to help him by working extra hours because he was so overwhelmed with only a few associates to help him, since many people had called off from work that day due to a bad snowstorm. However, when he found out that I lived more than a couple minutes away from work, he, in essence, said, “I care about my associates. I would rather have you home safely, than worry about getting this work done.” Had he not cared about my safety, I don’t know if I would be here writing this post today. I listened to him, and went on my way, also calling off the next day due to the snowstorm. Another person that was there for me when I needed them was my friend Veronica*. When I was feeling very depressed and hopeless because I was feeling stressed out at my now-previous job, she encouraged me to persevere and that helped me see that things would get better, and they eventually did. One day when I was really upset, a friend of mine that attends my current church, sent me an encouraging forward with the header: “This is you,” and helped me see the beauty that she saw inside me. This helped encouraged me to be able to get through the rest of the day.
These are the three main lessons I have learned this past week. I hope if you are feeling discouraged or don’t think what you do matters, that reading this will help give you the motivation and encouragement you need. These lessons certainly gave me the much needed reminder of the fact that everyone impacts everyone else. What you do matters. Make your life count today!
Even though I am happy to meet and cultivate friendships with many different kinds of people, there are some things that I will never tolerate if you consider yourself a close friend. These deal breakers are not prejudiced against someone’s gender, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic status, or any other human identifier, but have more to do with the person’s character. These deal breakers include: 1) Hurting me or my loved ones in some way, and not apologizing or repenting of your actions. 2) Betraying me in some way. This includes pretending to be my friend in order to manipulate me in some way. 3 )If I find out one is abusing children or animals in some way. All these deal breakers involve people who may think they are my friend (or not), but do not demonstrate the authenticity or the care needed to be a friend to me—or to anyone else. Here is why:
The Deal Breakers
If I find out one of my friends is hurting either me, or more likely, my loved ones in some ways, this is a definite deal breaker for me. First of all, I will not surround myself with people who intentionally want to hurt my family or my friends who I love. If they change their behaviors and attitudes towards my loved ones, then I will most likely forgive them. However, if they don’t, then they are a distraction and a harmony-breaker, and are not someone with whom I would ever want a close relationship. I do not need friends who bully or attack those I Iove in my life, and I will not tolerate them. For instance, if my parents or brother lets me know someone is or was hurting them, and this person hasn’t apologized or repented of their actions, I may still talk to them or be cordial to them, but I will not allow them to examine the depths of my heart—or that of my loved ones.
Another definite deal breaker for me if I have considered you a friend is if you do something to betray me in some kind of way. One thing I absolutely hate is when people fail to be honest with me! When someone lies to me, it not only calls their character into question, but it also calls the friendship and how much they really value me into doubt as well. One way to lie that is an absolute deal breaker for me is to be my friend only to use me for your pleasure or purpose! I do not tolerate narcissistic people who I know are using me and not really being genuine in their intent or friendship with me. For instance, I have found out, probably much too late for my good, that several people that were in my life only wanted to be friends with me because either a.) They felt sorry for me and only wanted to be friends with me to “feel good” about themselves, and when they did not want to do the work of a real friendship, they faded away. b) They wanted people to give them unconditional support and if I tried to correct them (even gently), they became upset with me, showing their true intentions. C) They wanted to be “friends” with me just so they could do with me according to their pleasure, never thinking about what I needed or wanted from them. These people definitely merit my INFJ (What is an INFJ? Read this, for more information) door slam! A door slam is basically a sudden form of going no-contact with someone, either emotionally or physically, or both.
The third, and perhaps, most serious deal breaker, is if I find out one of my friends is abusing children or animals, or any other of the most vulnerable in society. I can tolerate many things from many people, but cruelty is not one of them. If you are cruel to this point, I probably don’t even converse with you. Cruelty to children, animals, and any of the most vulnerable in society, not only saddens me, but enrages me as well. Unfortunately, sometimes I have had vengeful thoughts against those who would be so cruel to others, and if I find out you are like this, are not repentant, and still want to be my friend, I will cut off all contact with you, no questions asked.
The Counterparts
I did not want to finish without focusing on the positive characteristics I most appreciate in those I consider good friends. They are:
Authenticity—Most of the deal breakers I described above are evidence of people who are not genuine and have very calloused souls. However, I am happy to say that all my close friends have characteristics of authenticity. My one friend, Veronica*, for instance, is not afraid to be vulnerable with herself or with the struggles that she is facing in her life. I appreciate that kind of honesty and openness in her. My other friend, Kelly,* is also honest about her struggles and always strives to care for and appreciate her friends, as much as possible. I know that some people may be afraid of sharing their struggles, because they are afraid of being judged. Don’t be. It is better for you to be unapologetically who you are, flaws and all, no matter what others think, than to be some plastic image of perfection. If you don’t want to be friends with someone, say so, and then distance yourself from them. I know I may sound a bit harsh, but it is better to do this, than to pretend to be friends with them, when what that person probably needs is a genuine and caring presence.
Caring—All of the deal breakers had focused on people who are basically manipulative, cruel, selfish, and apathetic to the damage they cause to the ones around them. However, I am blessed to have friends who exhibit none of those traits. My friend Erica* is giving her life right now to help those in need. My friend Kelly* is a registered nurse, who wants to travel to restore the health of those who are sick or injured. My friend Veronica* also has a passion for others finding the joy and love she has found in Jesus. We care for people when we think of others besides ourselves and our own needs. We care for others when we think through things before we do them, to discern if the action will also benefit others. We care for others when we seek to love others and share the joy that we have found in life with those around us, especially those who need it most.
Hard-working—One of the characteristics I almost always appreciate in people is when they strive to do something with all their hearts, rather than to just meet the “status quo”. I am glad that Kelly* is able to become a nurse because I believe her drive and passion for helping others makes her the best qualified for a career like that. I appreciate that many of my managers strive to work hard, even coming in on their days off sometimes, to make sure the work is done well. I appreciate that many of my friends, especially those closest to me, are very hard working and strive continually to make the world around them a better place.
So, the best way to have a good friendship with me—and with others as well, is to be authentic, caring and kind, and hard-working. However, the worst way to try to be friends with me is to be inauthentic in some way or to be callous and mean-spirited toward my loved ones, towards those who are most vulnerable in society, and to me. What are your deal breakers in friendships? Why? What are the characteristics that you value in your friends? Why? Feel free to discuss in the comments.
*=not their real names
