Dear June: Live as Less Matters, Less Meaningful

Recently, I've tried my best to live intentionally. This means spending time with friends, working with integrity, and supporting my family as much as I can, even though I know I could do more.

But as I get older, I sometimes doubt my ability to keep up. I find myself feeling envious of others, though I don't understand why they would be envious of me in return.

The issue isn't my actions but my attitude. I want to show that I'm still a reliable and valuable person to those around me. However, certain challenges and misunderstandings make me feel disconnected and insignificant.

A friend once told me that people often take care of us out of a need for validation or pity. They may seem happy or indifferent just to avoid dealing with us.

This made me question the relationship between caring for others and the need for validation. 

Carl Jung said, “We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.” I need to accept my reality.

If people around us don’t always notice our struggles, it doesn’t mean they don’t care. Everyone has their own capacity for empathy and support. We can't expect too much from others; they have their own lives and limitations. Feeling oppressed by our situation often stems from within. Our minds project our dissatisfaction, creating problems that might not exist externally.

Recognizing this can be liberating. Our sense of meaning and understanding comes from within. 

Reflecting on this, I realize that while I often listen to others, I also need someone to listen to me. Ultimately, that listener needs to be myself.

Only in my writing, I trust.