Let Them Use

Walk into the room and watch how they purse their lips at you. Words are waiting impatiently just inside those closed mouths, but they’ll be nice and let you sit down before they release them upon you. But when they do, it’s not possible for them to stop. They have problems; they need advice, advice only you seem to know how to give. You listen as best you can, letting the woes of your peers wash over you, infecting you with sympathy you should learn to stop feeling. But you can’t, can you? You live to please. You lie down at the world’s feet and they all take advantage.

A part of you wishes desperately to release your words on them, demand they listen like you always have, but those words never make it out of your mind, just keep filling you up. One day you’ll pop, and then who will they complain to? It’s not really your concern, is it? But you let it be.

Do you have problems? Best keep them to yourself. Nobody really wants to know; they just want you to tell them what they want to hear. ‘Advice’. Go on, give and give until your spine splinters from the pressure. Are you suffering? Of course you are, but don’t show them that. After all, why should you be allowed to vent? You don’t matter to them. You never have.

They’ll see someday. But until then just let them use you, it’s all you can do anyway.