I hate people who act like shadows.

Off My Chest Article No. 2

In our life, there are people that acts like shadows. They are present on our brightest days. And they disappear in our darkest nights or time.

Now, you see them. Later, you don't.

We don't need to be successful or experience extreme downfall in our life to determine and observe these shadows. We can still notice them with our simple achievements and failures. We can also deal with them in a good way.

Shadow-free days

Growing up, I used to join competitions in school. Sometimes, I win. Most of the time, I lose.

At this time in elementary school, I am happy to live with people that are proud of me in my highest or lowest point. They are happy whether I'm part of Cream of the Crop or not. Still proud about my contests even I won or lost. And they are looking forward about my experience after I went home from a competition, winner or not.

I always hear my name in my father's 'inuman'sessions with his friends–bragging me about my achievement or the contest I joined in where I lost. Also, my mother and other relatives I experienced to live with always talks about me to their friends. I always felt their support and appreciation.

People around me that time do not act like shadows.

Shadows around me appeared

I transferred to a highschool in our province. In a new environment ans new people around, these shadows appeared.

The moment I entered Junior High School, I became more competitive. I joined different contest that I'm interested in. I also became more participative in the class.

In my early years in Junior High, I've joined contests in schools like spelling bee and others and district-level competition in quiz bee and journalism.

I won some school-wide contests. People around me are happy for that. Then about my higher-level competitions,these same people only care about the result. When lost, they seemed uninterested and I feel unappreciated. I always defend why I lost like reasons that my opponents are too intelligent and such.

As I grow older and gain more achievements in school, people's expectations became higher too. As years pass by,later in Junior High up to Senior High, these shadows became more prominent and can be hurtful too.

People around me just care when I win or succeed. In my different contest, they are still the same. They were proud of and happy for me in moments I won. And then, they disappeared that made me feel unappreciated and not enough when I lost or failed.

They can hurt me too. I remember when my grandfather asked me back then in Grade 10 if I am part of the top in class. I just said that I'm with honors and probably in 10s ranking. He just I am "pigaw"–I don't know how to translate it right but it means weak, frail, and feeble in our language. Despite having with honors, that is what I got.

I am graduating so I'm taking entrance exams in college. They are happy and proud when they knew I passed the entrance exam in a military academy. I wonder, how will they react when I fail.

Dealing with shadows

In Grade 10 up to Senior High, I always keep my competitions a secret in our house. They will just discover that I won when I need to travel to other region or province just like in the case of Regional Press Conference in Campus Journalism and grand finals in my quiz bee competition.

These past few months, when I take entrance exams to universities, I am hushed about it. And I passed them.

Keeping my contests and important exams a secret is really helpful and relieving. There are no people that will expect too much for me that I can later disappoint when I fail. When I lose, I won't feel people's unappreciation and disappointment. A good way to deal with shadows is not knowing them whether it's a bright day or dark night.

I also learned not to give an "F". Some times,we need to focus on ourselves to grow instead of focusing on what others say or feel. We know who we really are and what we can achieve. We need to learn to achieve something for ourselves too, not for others. We don't need other people's validation. One of the best way to deal with shadows is focusing on ourselves not one them.

We can also learn from these kind of people. Use their criticisms for our growth and use them as an inspiration to prove them wrong or grow as a human. These people are part of our life and they will never be gone. So we can deal with them by using them as inspiration.

I hate people who can only see us when we achieved something, we won or we became successful. They are present in our brightest days. Then, seemed to disappeare in our dark days. These people are like shadows.

Growing up, I've observed many of them and I learned how to deal with them in a my own healthy ways.

Now, I appreciate these shadows'. I am happy to share my brightest days to the people who really appreciate me in any circumstance and state I am in. Whether I lose or win, they are always there. They are light, making my darkest night bright and days brightet.

How about you? Are there people that are like shadows in your life? How do you deal with them?

Reminder:

Support and appreciate your friends,family and loved ones whether they are in their highest point or lowest point and either on their darkest nights or brightest days.

Don't be a shadows too, you can be their light.

Off My Chest series are articles about things I want to rant or release from my chest. Hence the name.

• Off My Chest Article No. 1 https://read.cash/@Nyctofiles/im-anxious-about-college-76060a99