After a much needed discussion about our time apart, one of the biggest takeaways from last class was the idea that it's okay to be negative at times. What does it mean to be alone? Why do we think that we need to be positive all the time? As we all shared our personal stories of losing hope and feeling depressed, we all started to see that we weren't alone. Although each one of us had different motivations for social distancing and staying safe we all faced the same obstacles. We were all upset about missing out on our senior year and losing out on one of our last summers before college.
As we all entered a state of sadness and introspection, we realized that it's okay not to be okay (i didn't intend to quote Demi Lovato). As all of us shared our stories, we found solace in knowing that we all have to overcome these obstacles together. For the first time, I felt so close to my classmated. I felt so close to classmates that I haven't met prior to this school year. And how did we become so close? It was because we stopped for 5 minutes to just breathe. We stopped to think about what we have all been through and just take a minute to reflect.
A quote by Dr. Paul TP Wong that I found perfectly embodied this new understanding that I saw. "Negative Emotions can be a powerful catatlyst to positive change... and can lead to deeper feeling of meaning" he stated. I think all of us can take note of that and learn that everything happens for a reason. The lowest moments in our lives motivate us to look within us and find true meaning.
It was so enlightening to hear all of my classmates show us a small glimpse into their life. I really want to push myself to stop and introspect every now and then because I was even shocked with I had to share about myself. I don't know why it took so long for me to discuss my pent up emotions about quarantine and this difficult time. It really shows how important it is to be open with yourself about your emotions and feelings. Back to the central questions we started with: What does it mean to be alone? and Why do we think that we need to be positive all the time? In terms of being alone, I think that our discussion has shown that sometimes when we feel alone, we are actually the most together. We experience these events alone but we can reminisce and learn together which is very important. Also, I definitely believe that negative thinking is allowed as long as growth or new understanding comes from it. And it takes a very strong person to be authentic with themselves when faced with negativity and difficult times. So, my advice to all of you is to take a breath and just ask yourself how you are. Thanks for listening to Storytime with Sejal and thanks for reading!
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