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:: Thursday, November 30, 2006 ::

Walls

I sketched this picture in class on Monday because I was thinking about how people get defensive when they're hurt by others. I thought about how, eventually, when enough has been said, you stop listening and you stop caring because you have a wall around your heart. You're no longer hurt by what people say because you're safely nestled within a structure of defensive statements and dismissive retorts. Nothing can get through because you don't even hear the words, much less process them.

I didn't have the words for the pictures until tonight. And it is a warning to do no harm. Every thoughtless, hurting word you say to someone else forces them to react. Not everyone is strong enough or confident enough to withstand such stoning. So, bit by bit, people build walls. They become cold, they withdraw behind the walls they have put up to hide from the pain inflicted by the world.

It's not only what is said that may hurt others. It's also what is done. Or perhaps even what isn't. Not being sensitive enough to other's feelings? Not doing anything to help? That hurts too, because even though nothing is said or done, what you're telling someone else is "I don't care about you. I don't care if you're hurt. I don't understand you or what makes you sad. Deal with it yourself. It's not my fault. It's not my business."

I don't want to quietly hurt others through action or inaction, because I never like being hurt, or alone. That feeling of being alone, trapped within the four walls is familiar. It is wretched and it turns your heart cold against others because you think the worst of them, such people who care nothing about your feelings.

Perhaps we owe it to ourselves and everybody to hold our tongues when there's potential to hurt, and speak a word of kindness when there's potential to heal. After all, how hard is it to say a nice thing?

Demolish walls. Don't build them.

Labels: Philosophy, Pictures

:: And that's all she wrote 12:16 AM [+] ::
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