It was only during a party when I saw Enamel cry for the first time in all the 3 years of my life I have known her. That too, while confiding in me the very tragic story of her miscarriage and its ramifications. We met while working in a newspaper office and she was the very first friend I had.
She always protected me from everyone before she got married and moved out of the city. We got pretty close by then and she had become an elder sister to me.
It’s not that she never shared her life with me; it’s that I never saw her breaking down even while it came to her selling off her things inherited by her from her family, her grandmother’s diamond broach, her mother’s necklace, etc in order to support her artist husband and pay debts.
Rather, she was the one who would lend her shoulders to my stupid problems (yes, mine seemed really stupid in front of her). It was after her breakdown that I could get the complete picture of her life and started pondering upon the struggles every strong and sensitive person has to face daily.
So, here is the list:
(1) Over-thinking of things:
Have you ever felt how would people feel if you say ‘No’ to them and then compromise to prevent yourself from hurting others? Have you felt what would people think if you do a certain thing you might like but others might not? Then there are lists of problems we have to face and an added list we have to solve for others. Stress never leaves strong and sensitive people.
(2) Hiding sorrow:
Sensitive people get hurt easily. And yes, strong people hide their sorrow. So, if you are a combination of both, you will get hurt too often but will conceal it. No matter how bad you feel, you will carry that smile on your face and act as if it’s normal. Then, when you are alone, you will break down to yourself and suffer on your own. It really takes a lot to go through this turmoil.
(3) Have very few close people:
Strong and sensitive people are close to many. They tend to have a large friend circle who generally knows them as very strong people. But there are only a very few people who know them closely; there are very few people who know their desires, their tragedies. It’s difficult for a strong and sensitive people to open up to someone, to reveal their vulnerable to sometime. So, not always we get our close people around us even if we need them.
(4) Get irritated by people easily:
Harsh as it sounds, strong and sensitive people get annoyed by most of the people. Strong people have a history of becoming strong. It’s not easy to put up with the ways of the world. So, when a strong person sees someone taking advantage of something or being lazy or coward, they get annoyed. Having gone through hardships, it’s not unnatural to expect the same from others.
We are all human beings, after all. Being sensitive adds to the irritation. Any act of stupidity or cruelty or cowardice is bound to be a big turn-off.
(5) Laugh off every encounter:
Strong people who have a sensitive side are always desperate to protect themselves. So, laughing is the best way to reveal the sensitive side. Even if one is angry or upset, revealing those emotions will lead to further conversations which give the chance of showing the vulnerability. So laughing is the best way for us.
(6) Occasional outbursts aren’t meant to hurt others:
Being sensitive and trying to hold on to your emotions is a challenge. This results in occasional outburst but this doesn’t mean whatever that is said out of anger is true or will be true. Sensitive people sometimes fail to remain strong and burst out This is not meant to hurt people. People like them generally do not hurt and they cool down after bursting.
(7) Standing up for friends and family:
Strong and sensitive people are the ones who will truly stand up for their friends and family. No matter what happens, they can be trusted and dependent upon. Since they are strong, they would know the best way to deal with things. Since they are sensitive, they will leave aside their priorities for the people they love.
