Lessons from Papa: Silent Battles

Sri and his little brother often found themselves locked in cold wars at home. The way Sri was raised since childhood left him feeling uncomfortable in Papa's presence. While Sri's little brother grew at ease with Papa and enjoyed playful interactions, Sri couldn't establish the same connection. It's important to note that this doesn't mean Papa hates Sri, it's just the way things unfolded.

During meal times, Papa and Mama would rely on Sri to handle all the tasks of setting the table, rarely asking the little brother to assist. Sri sometimes felt overwhelmed, sensing that he was shouldering most of the responsibilities while his little brother offered little help. Sri naturally took the initiative to step in whenever assistance was required. He wondered how he developed this selfless attitude of helping without questioning.

Since childhood, Sri was often compelled to do things he didn't want to or wasn't interested in. Papa and Mama rarely considered his feelings or interests, taking him for granted. Unfortunately, Sri's little brother observed and learned from their parents, also taking Sri's efforts and presence for granted.

Sri longed for someone in his family with whom he could share his feelings—someone to confide in during moments of happiness, sadness, or pain. He attempted to express his emotions to Mama, but he discovered that she would later use these vulnerabilities to her advantage, emotionally blackmailing him. Sri went through these experiences repeatedly, causing him to gradually surrender himself to those who tried to dominate him, even though he didn't find solace in it.

When Papa humiliated Sri in front of his friends, they took advantage of the situation and began humiliating him at school. Moreover, when Papa beat or humiliated Sri in the presence of his little brother, the younger sibling began mirroring Papa's behavior, showing disrespect towards Sri. While this may seem like a small issue to Papa and Mama, instead of reflecting on the impact and trying to understand Sri's feelings, they chose to indulge the little brother's actions, further exacerbating the situation.

At that point, Sri made the firm decision to leave home and vowed to never return. With no one to turn to for emotional support, he wondered who he could look up to. Desperate to find someone with whom he could share his feelings, Sri was simultaneously plagued by the fear that anyone he confided in might exploit and humiliate him. As a result, he silenced his emotions, keeping them locked inside.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

“With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”