Listen

When I ask you to listen to me, it means I needed to be heard. You won't be able to hear me when you're also talking. So when you listen, it means you have to keep quiet.

Quiet. Silence. Idle moments. Sometimes, you also need to listen to those 'uncomfortable' gaps. There are times when I just need you to sit around, with me, for me. Be there for me. Even if I'm not saying anything. And you don't have to say anything, too. If you can't bear my silence then I guess you don't know me well enough. 

Sometimes I blabber endlessly, sometimes I'm loud, incoherent, even nagging. But that doesn't make up a great fraction of my life. Most of the time, I can't bear loud people. They talk too much, they hardly make a point. 

When I ask you to listen to me, it means you don't judge me or blame me for screwing up my own life. It simply means I need your compassion and understanding. It means you try to see the person that is me, am I broken? Am I sad? Am I angry? Am I tired? But really you don't have to blame me for being any of those. Just be there for me. 

When I ask you to be there for me, you don't have to solve my problem. I will certainly solve it myself. You can suggest things for me, just suggest. Don't impose. Because you are not me. And don't feel bad if I don't choose to do what you suggested. You being there for me is helping me more than enough. 

Your presence, your company, your gentleness, is already an encouragement, is already an assurance that you care. Of course you care, I know you do.