Written by:Jesse T Gambanga
One of my blog readers commented on my recent blog post, “Whilst you Heal”.She wrote quite a touching message saying, “The healing process is hard because we are living in a world full of hate and some people are out there to question other people’s worth.When you think you are about to heal, you are reminded of the gabbage.”
This morning as I was thinking so deep about the world, I could find no other words to describe it but only to be convinced that it is full of damaged people.
Yes we live in a world full of damaged people.
Everybody seems to be fighting their own battle.No matter where you come from, your age or race, you somehow have been through situations that might have drained you physically, mentally or emotionally.You might have managed to deal with such situations in a better way which resulted in you not left broken or damaged but others have failed, mostly because they could not handle it.
A damaged person could be your friend, family member, neighbor or yourself.
Many people are broken, wounded and bleeding.That is why suicide cases are constantly rising, families are divided and many resort to drugging…to kill pain, just for a while.
Have you ever seen damaged people? How they react to situations?
Have you ever had a conversation with a broken soul?
Well if you have or if you haven’t, here is what you might get from damaged people:
#1)They always have something negative to say.
In my article, “Whilst you heal”, I mentioned that those that are healing tend to suffer from negative comments from other people.I mentioned how I used to get teased because of my acne prone skin and how people would call me all sorts of names like “Sand paper face”.
Do you know that when a person is damaged, he/she will be carrying nothing but negative energy which he/she ends up sharing to others.It is true that you give out what’s inside you, be it good or bad.If you are a joyful and positive minded person, we see it by the positive vibe you carry and share with the world.But if you are damaged, bruised and broken, it’s like you struggle to see the good things about you which then becomes difficult for you to see anything good out of others
You end up cursing instead of blessing and criticizing instead of praising.
#2)They pretend.
When I was young I used to think that adults are perfect and always right.I used to think that they never make mistakes and they are strong.
But as I grew to become an adult, reality struck and i came to believe that no one is perfect because if we were, there would be no damaged people around.
One thing you should know about damaged people is that they are good at pretending.
Do you know that a damaged person might be your pastor, your mentor or someone you admire the most.
Leaders will never show their weakness to those who follow or look up to them lest they portray a negative message to them.
That is why your pastor cannot afford to stand in front of the congregation and admit that he is one damaged soul also searching for some healing.
So the next time you walk past that granny who always smiles or that counselor who lives nextdoor, don’t be too quick to judge because some people would rather ‘wear a mask’ than expose themselves to the world.
#3)Damaged people have been through a lot.
Back in high school there was this girl I knew.She was intelligent and pretty but there was something about her which made her dangerous and unapproachable- her temper.Because of privacy reasons I cannot mention her real name so l have decided to name her Stella.So Stella had such a short temper that she would rant at any minor issue.She was so wild and hyper sensitive that nobody wanted to be friends with her.I used to be afraid of her and tried by all means not to cross her path.However, this other day she came to me just to have a normal talk but as we chatted she somehow became comfortable enough that she ended up telling me a lot of stuff about herself and how she was raised.Stella was raised by guardians who never took good care of her.She was Physically, sexually and emotionally abused from a very young age and the many scars that she had all over her body were a product of the ruthless beatings she always got from her aunt and uncle.My heart bled as I listened to her story and all I saw from that day was a damaged young lady instead of a wierd, mean and hot tempered girl.
You see, a lot of damaged people have really sad stories to tell.No one is created damaged but bad things happen along the road which can be really hurtful,unbearable and damaging.It might be loss of loved ones, bullying, abuse or poor upbringing.There are so many things that can damage an individual depending on their mindset and how they handle situations.
Surprisingly, some people have been through a lot of bad stuff which might have possibly destroyed or damaged them but they still remain strong whereas others are so fragile that it is really difficult for them to stay firm and unshaken whilst dealing with grave situations.
It takes a great deal of love and patience when dealing with damaged people who have pasts that still haunt them.
4) Super sensetive and have mood swings.
Most times, when dealing with damaged people you will realize how super sensetive they can be and how they suddenly change moods.
One minute they are very happy and the next they are irritated and worked up.It’s so difficult to understand them, because you are not sure exactly if your next move is gonna infuriate them or make them smile.Its just like walking on thin ice where you are not sure if your next step is gonna break it therefore dealing with such people requires extra love and care.
5)Low self esteem
Remember damaged people have been through a lot that they somehow feel broken.That brokenness is what leads to low self esteem.Feeling like they are inadequate, unlovable and unacceptable.
Damaged people find it difficult to love themselves.They nolonger have that confidence to look into the mirror with a smile.They feel they are too broken to be fixed and too flawed to be transformed.
I think that is the reason why they tend to underperform because they nolonger have confidence in themselves.They do not believe they can do somethings better, achieve more and be outstanding.
I can go on and on describing traits that can be found on damaged people but what the world needs to know is that damaged people are everywhere, they were once normal people who were changed by circumstances.They are victims and they need love.Damaged people can be mended again.It might be you who is reading this article or someone you know.
Do not be on the lookout for damaged people to dispise them but be on the look out for damaged people to show them love and remind them of their true value.
SheWritesIt 