Recently, after almost finishing Batman: Caped Crusader (Season 2), I was frustrated by a reminder that life’s unfair. Honestly, what happened was a bit petty, but I was frustrated all the same. Then again, I couldn’t share my frustrations with someone. Not this time anyway.
Then I heard his voice again.
“Frustrated again, huh?”
“Yeah. Life’s really unfair.”
“It is.”
“Why do I keep reaching out to people who wouldn’t even reach back?”
He thought for a few seconds, then replied.
“Sadly, you can’t be friends with everyone. You can’t even talk to everyone the way you want to, even if you mean well. Communication and friendship go both ways.”
I sighed, “You’re right. And this is the nth time I’m reminded of that.”
“I understand. We’re really wired to remember and forget constantly.”
I took my last glass of warm water for the night. He proposed an idea.
“You should write an essay or a poem about it.”
“Should I?”
“Yes. And it doesn’t have to be perfect. You also don’t have to share it with the world.”
“Okay.”
And then I opened my journal, thought of a first line for my poem, and then poured all of my frustrations into it. I turned this irritating feeling into messy yet beautiful art. I turned that annoyance into one big middle finger to the reminder “life’s unfair.”
Of course, I’m not sharing the poem here, but after writing it, I felt calm with a sense of accomplishment.
“Done. That felt really good.”
“Congratulations on a job well done.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re most welcome… you know what will make you feel much better?”
“What is it?”
“Sleep. It’s 2am already. Go get some shuteye.”
“Ah, damn it! I didn’t even notice!”
Header image courtesy of Abdulvahap Demir.
Ian Pasicolan 