By: David Coy
Life is precious, and every soul matters. The way we think as adults is that children are especially special. Perhaps the reason we think this way is that the their lives are just beginning. They have so much potential and things to look forward to in their young life that we who are older want the very best for them. Young people are so impressionable and sensitive, and we may be unaware that some young people are having an issue with low self-esteem. Many experiences are received negatively as wounds, and these are built up and stored inside. While some youths share all their closest feelings with their friends, others hide what they feel on the inside and present on the outside something completely the opposite. This secret that some withhold from those around them is not the kind of secret any of us should keep. This is the kind that leads to depression, despondency and despair, a perception that there is no joy nor hope in life. Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, I understand, wrote a song that illustrates how some conceal their tears on the inside with smiles and laughter on the outside. It is said that Mr. Robinson obtained his idea from an Italian opera. The song, if you have not guessed, is “The Tears of a Clown.” The last line says, “Just like Pagliacci did, I try to keep my sadness hid.”
We all need to be more connected with one another and involved with one another. That way, if a precious soul is hurting on the inside, we can help them work through the hurt and show them that they are loved and that their life has meaning and worth. There is a real danger when someone buries their hurt inside and masks their reality to the world around them. They are creating an environment for depression, despair, despondency and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. We need to reach those around us before they reach this critical point.
Call David at 879-6284.
