I'm listening.

Since I've started this project I've had several people ask me where my inspiration came from.  The truth is, my inspiration for this actually came from simply talking to people.

The human mind has always amazed me... I guess that's why I became a psych major in college.  The way we think and feel varies so greatly from person to person, and I find it fascinating that two people going through the same exact situation in life will handle it dramatically different.  Some people choose to lean on family and friends in times of need, others internalize their grief and try to handle it on their own.  Some become depressed, some become angry, and some fake happiness so well they even fool themselves.

In life, honesty is a rarity.  We often color the truth with what we think sounds better, what we think other people want to hear, or what we wish was the truth but is actually far from it.  This is especially true when it comes to revealing our feelings.  "I love you" and "I hate you" are two of the most powerful sentences in the English language, and can be the most difficult to say.  Even scarier is writing those words down, because once they have been penned you cannot take them back.  You cannot deny them.

I started this project because sometimes, you just need someone to listen.  You need to put your words out there, clear your mind, get everything off your chest, and unleash your feelings.  You don't want someone telling you how you should feel, or how long you are allowed to feel that way.  You don't need another sympathetic head nod, awkward hug, or "It just takes time."  Yes, everything happens for a reason, and that reason is life.

So talk.  Write.  Vent.  Cry.  Laugh.  Be honest.  Ask for forgiveness.  Forgive.  Say goodbye.  Say hello.  Say I'm sorry.

I'm listening.