This Morning’s Message and What It Taught ME

 

This morning, I got a DM from one of my closest friends who knows how much I love daisies or really, anything about flowers. I told her how blessed I felt to receive her message and how happy it made me. At first, I didn’t expect her to reply, but then she did. She said, “You’re grateful for something that simple, Mi?”

That reply made me pause for a while. I realized that maybe she’s going through something, too. I know everyone has their own problems, but I never imagined she would say something like that first thing in the morning.

So, I replied to her saying that the main point of her DM wasn’t about the flowers it was that I HAVE YOU, and the picture of the flower just happened to be something that made me smile.

After that, I went back to reading for a few minutes, and then she replied again:
“The most important thing is that you found your coping mechanism. Not everyone can find theirs.”

Her words really struck me. It made me think that she might be facing a problem she hasn’t found a solution to yet. And that realization made me feel guilty guilty because I’ve been so focused on myself lately. I kept thinking about my own tomorrow, my own worries, and I stopped paying attention to people around me.

I’ve realized that my self-focused nature can be both a strength and a weakness. It’s helped me survive, but it’s also made me blind to others’ pain. That same trait is something I still regret deeply especially with my mom, who passed away a few months ago. I wasn’t sensitive enough to notice what she needed. I stayed silent, thinking, I don’t have what she needs, so better not to do anything. And now, it’s happening again with my family, with my friends. They care about me so much, yet I fail to show the same attention back.

This morning’s message was like a wake-up call a gentle reminder from a friend who probably didn’t even realize how much her words touched me. Thank you for that.

I’ve always thought of myself as someone who can laugh easily maybe too easily. When a friend says something silly, I laugh. When I see something funny on Twitter, I laugh again.

Even after a night of crying until I can barely breathe, somehow, when morning comes and my friend calls to share something funny, I can still laugh.

That’s why I’ve learned how important it is to find your coping mechanism.
Whatever makes you smile even for just a moment can be your way of healing. Because even if it’s only temporary, those few seconds of forgetting your pain are enough to help your mind rest and recover from darker thoughts.

I once saw a post on social media about a homeless man who was invited to eat by a young woman. After they finished, the man left a small note that said:

“Thank you for eating with me. I was planning to end my life today, but because you invited me to eat, I decided not to.”

It reminded me of a book I’m currently reading titled “I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki” by Baek Sehee. The author writes about her struggle with dysthymia a chronic form of depression that makes people lose interest in daily life, feel hopeless, and struggle to stay productive (2018:06). Even though she often thought about dying, she still found comfort in something as simple as eating tteokbokki.

Sometimes, it really is that simple one small thing that helps you clear your mind and silence the negative thoughts.

So, to anyone who hasn’t found their coping mechanism yet please, try a little harder to discover it. I truly hope you find the happiness you’re looking for. Remind yourself that you are strong enough to live through this, that even when life feels unbearable, you’ve made it this far.

The fact that you’re still here, reading these words, means you’ve survived and that’s something to be grateful for. Be thankful to God for the life and health you still have.