Making Oneself Available for Others

by: Leony Moonrose

Most of us are too busy at work. We are lucky if we could spend sometime to our friends. Usually, if we need to chill out a bit, we resort to opening social sites and check our friends, saying hello to them, do a little chit chat and then go back to our busy lives.

Everything runs smoothly. We resort to opening social sites so we could freely talk to our friends and to somehow reduce the stress. But unfortunately, there are friends who hardly understand our lifestyle. Once they see us online they started claiming our time by talking to us longer than the alloted time we set for socialization. Sad to say, we gain a lot of stress rather than reducing it because the moment we try to leave or we couldn't reply their messages,  they start saying we are ignoring them.

Part of my mind says, "who the heck are they?" to demand my presence and give false accusations about me. But then again, its a cyber world, where people have different thinking, belief and culture. I have to adjust. I have to be flexible. 

I remember one person. I met him months ago in social site.

One evening, I saw him again, we had a chat about life and technology.  I found out that he has knowledge in technology although he’s a chef. I asked him about software on Internet Protocol Address or  IP address.  He asked my skype account so he could give me the file and he could teach me how to use it.

We talked at skype that one evening. However, instead of discussing about the software he has given me, our topic was centered on his life story. I didn’t mind because I feel like he needs someone to talk to. I was there with a listening ear. He was so sad and down, all alone (with his dog) and it was a good feeling that I was able to accompany him and gave him advice. I made myself available for him that moment, listening at his sad stories.

From there on, we often talked at skype (no cam).  Days passed,  I still didn’t know on how to use the software application. I dropped the desire of learning it though. Besides I was very busy at work.

My being busy has a negative impact to this person. He started accusing me that I was ignoring him.. that I did not reply his message, that I’m not good friend of him because I have no time with him.. until it reached to the point that he accused me of something I didn’t even do. He used foul words at me and he splashed stinky stuff I couldn’t imagine he is capable of doing.  I asked myself then, what is friendship for this man and who is he to demand much of my time.

The worst is, he is not the only person who acts like this. I met many of them. Does it mean, many people do not really know what friendship is?  or they just use the word “friend” so they could take advantage of?

This scenario is so often in social sites. If you are a kind of person who aren’t used to dealing with depressed people, you certainly ended up having stress or heart attack. It’s good to be nice, but its not good to expose ourselves in solving other people’s problems and caprices. 

We are now in technology world, but it doesn’t mean that we rely ourselves on cyber people nor get affected by them. We should respect each others lifestyle and belief. We socialize yes, but we must be wise enough in choosing whom we talk to.  Abusers are everywhere and so are good people.  Ignore the abusers treasure the good ones.

Men are basically good. In fact, we all have a good heart.   

                                                    

It just depends on when we call it out to shine forth for other people. Maybe we are doing good things in a small way, such as showing support to our friends, or that we really go out to help those in need, or listening our friends problems.

Being a good friend to someone is worthwhile because we do not only help others, we also learn so much about the real world. And in doing good, we feel so satisfied and happy.  

Also we need to realize that there are many people less fortunate than us. Even at a young age they have to face a lot of heartaches from family troubles. That’s one reason why we see other people who acts differently than us. Instead of hating or hurting them, we need to understand them and pray for them.

Make yourself available for others.. even just in prayer.

Prayer does miracle :)