the world inside.

It is said that a burden shared is a burden halved.  Or something along those lines, anyways. It is a friend’s duty to not only be there when the times are good and fun is abundant, but also when the times are bad and fun seems to be a distant memory. Friends take you under their wing and nurse you back to full health. They will sit there with you and eat tub after tub of ice cream until the pain goes away. They will watch tragic movies – one after another – with you until there are no more tears to cry and all you can do is dry wretch. They will do all this and more, but they aren’t mind readers.

People aren’t always the most open species. If a skunk feels threatened, it will release some horrid odour to warn off the threat. If a cat is angry, it will bear its claws and erect its tail. If a dog is happy, it will pant and wag its tail. If a human is any of these, it’s not always so easy to tell. Some will choose to express little to no emotion. Especially when it comes to negative ones. It’s always difficult to tell someone you’re upset because you don’t want to be a burden – or worse, bring them down with you. Similarly, it’s not always the most appropriate place to express anger – do you really want to be the one being gawped at as you rant and rave in the middle of the street, veins popping up all over your red face? So instead, we hold it all in. We bite our tongue and we fight back the tears because it’s unsightly.

But does that really benefit us? It’s only a matter of time before something tips you over and *pop* like the cork off a shaken bottle of champagne, and out it all pours. And who knows if there’s anyone around to clean you up at that time. So do yourself a favour. Do your friends a favour. And just let it out. Whenever you need to. Be happy! Be sad! Be angry! And be together! Thoughts are to be shared – a true friend will always listen.