As any other Sunday goes, I visit the church for the Sunday mass and then after meeting, greeting and to talk with few friends, getting some groceries or other food items for the house, I read the newspaper.
Usually, there will be a rape case, a murder or a suicide which hurts while reading. Today was no different. The suicide cases hurt more because that’s done by someone’s own will and for a reason that might sound petty to many of us.
Today as I read the newspaper about yet another “blue whale” suicide case, I remember the topic on which the priest spoke about I.e. the challenges youth face in a family.
There are many thoughts that go on in our young minds. We have a lot of questions, a lot of doubts, are scared of few things and situations. All we have to do is knock the door and ask our parents to talk about it. If not them, then a sibling, an uncle, an aunt, a relative who lives nearby etc. My point is, a lot of things can be sorted by this four letter word “TALK”.
We live in a time when we are told that due to technology, people living in one house don’t talk to each other but are buried inside their phones. That the only noise on the dining table would be of cutlery clanking on the plate or the sound of the television set.
And guess the best part of all this?
Even after knowing this and seeing videos showing how bad it is, we choose to blatantly ignore it and continjue doing so. Have you ever thought how silent your home gets when you do nothing apart from be inside your phone or watch the TV? Think about it. It will feel like a mortuary.
Coming back to the issues that youth face, there’s no one to blame. It’s just that we assume the outcome without even talking to someone.
What if my father hits me or tells me to leave the house?
What if they take away my phone if I tell them I failed?
What if they don’t allow me to hang out with my friends?
What if they treat me differently if I tell them I am addicted to smoking/drinking?
The “What If” is not right. We shouldn’t be assuming the outcome already. It’s possible that this can happen;
Your father will ask you to explain everything; might be upset; but pledge to help you no matter what, as you’re his son/daughter.
Your parents will not stop you from using your phone, but limit it for your betterment.
Your parents will ask you to get your friends home so they can also your circle and appreciate it.
Your parents might get upset that this has happened but will realize the strength you had to come up to them. They’ll be glad they heard it from you and not from some doctor in a hospital when you collapse.
There’s a lot of things which can happen. Just talk!
So what if they get upset; Don’t you think they should be?
But in the end they’ll turn around for you.
There’s nothing more hurting than unspoken words.
Think about those who have lost someone just because the kid thought jumping from the terrace was easier than talking to his/her parents. What would be their state?
They’d wish anything for time to rewind so they would tell their kid that everything is fine and they’re there to help him/her get through with the problem.
There is nothing more assuring than the words spoken by your near ones saying “It’s alright”.