“Hey, I have something to tell you, but you can’t tell anyone” they said

“OK” I reply

They leaned their head to mine and whispered to me what no one else is to know.

In my head, I thought, Thanks. For a lack of any other emotion or thought.

I sit in my boss’s office every week for our regular meeting. I await his encouragement and words of wisdom. Instead I am left in awe when he informs that he thinks I am overpaid, don’t work hard and garner no respect from co-workers.

In my head, I thought, Really? Seriously? For lack of any other emotion or thought.

Talking with a friend who says, “you know you need to be careful because you could end up just like that. You should do this and watch out for that.”

In my head, I thought, OK, as the energy drained from me and I planned my escape.

It seems like lately I am inundated with people telling me things I can’t repeat, things that I am doing wrong, things that I have to do or telling me the kind of person I am going to become and none of it is pleasant for me. At the moment. I store inside only to pull it out later and speak my response to the wall.

I still believe people mean well… for the most part. And that many times an error in communication on either or both sides is to blame. I also know I take things personally, they get stored inside my heart forever. I know people are looking out for my well being, but sometimes I don’t want to hear it.

Sometimes all I want is a friend and not a teacher.