Overwhelmed

by Sarah
(New York)



Coming from a family of Christians with an especially enthusiastic Christian dad, I have grown up with fear when I was supposed to have hope. I am Christian, yes definitely! And I don't know if it is a personality trait or what--but I can't seem to share the enthusiasm that my father has. It makes me feel like a heathen. My dad has great testimony of dying, going to heaven, and coming back to life. I, however, have no such story to motivate me spiritually. I have moments of intense inward enthusiasm, but then the demands of life seem to always wear me out.

One of the main reasons I have fear instead of hope is that yes the Bible teaches about future times like the anti-Christ and the mark of the beast etc. I don't think that the world will end, but I do believe that the things are told in Revelation will happen. I have a strong reason to believe that it will happen very soon. I know that the Jehovah Witnesses said he was coming back like 7 different times or something, but they didn't really have a true basis for their claims. I feel that I do. But I'm not here to say that. I'm saying that the constant feeling that my life on earth will be cut short at a young age (I'm 20) is driving me absolutely crazy!

I want to make life plans like going to a foreign country and teaching English, getting married etc. I still have not graduated college, and although I will graduate earlier than normal I don't feel I will graduate early enough for me to have time to move to another country and get married etc. So here I am trying to cram all the major events into my life, because I feel like any day could be my last. It affects my daily life, the decisions I make etc. But this isn't even the only issue of course. This is just the silent issue which looms above my head and all my immediate problems in life.


My parents are divorced and both my mother and father are poor and always have been. I was born in a trailer and although I have moved to better houses (I have moved 9 times) etc my father currently lives in a trailer. I feel like my life will begin and end in a double-wide. I don't live in a trailer park, but still the stigma of living in a trailer kills me inwardly. The stereotypes associated with living in trailers is really offensive to me. Partially because a lot of the stereotypes don't apply and partially because some do....like having divorced fighting parents.


Also, living as a poor Christian in the country, I wasn't exposed to culture very much and so I didn't really develop any personal hobbies or interests which other kids did. When I got to high school and college, I became so painfully aware at how little I had actually lived my life. Mostly my life is characterized by fighting family members, financial stress, and loneliness. I spent almost every afternoon of my high school days staring at my wall. I had friends, but I didn't want them to come to my house because I was ashamed of where I lived. I couldn't go out and do anything with them, because having fun costs money. Skiing? Can't afford it. Mall? Can't afford to buy anything. See a movie? Can't afford it. I would have gladly gotten a job, but living with a single father, who worked all day, I had no access to transportation. Without transportation, I couldn't get a job. Without a job, I could save money for a car. I am in my second year of college and I still have no license.


Love? I am 20 and I have never been kissed. Some might say I never had a real boyfriend even. I would disagree though it may be pathetic to some. I became friends with a foreign pen pal and I ended up talking with his best friend and I fell in love with his best friend. We were inseparable for 9 months. Sadly, it was only 9 months. Not 1 year. Not 2 years. Not 9 years...just 9 months. But it was the best 9 months of my life, except the breaking up part. Basically, when he started his new life at college, he got bored of me and dumped me. I was devastated (I still am). I have wanted to kill myself numerous times. Even tonight. But it is pathetic isn't it? People would mock me for being overly dramatic about 'come online boyfriend.' But really, I loved him purely and sincerely. He was my best (male) friend. After he left me, I felt completely emotionally abandoned. It was right after Valentine's Day and I had also recently found out that my dad got engaged to a woman I have never met. So now he is currently in the process of moving 4 hours from our home town to marry a woman whose face or name I don't know. So at first I felt abandoned by my father, and then by the only person I really ever loved. My mom is already remarried and I can't live with her. Since my dad is now leaving, I am being kicked out. Now, this could be seen as a good thing. But I have never had a real job, I don't have a license, I have almost NO life skills to speak of. I grew up isolated and now I am clueless about even the smallest things in the real world which would be common sense to any other person. I am so stressed and overwhelmed with the pressure of getting a job and being able to afford an apartment and food.........and in order to live I will need 2 part time jobs plus I will need to take 4 online college courses if I want to graduate when I want to in order to live the way I want to before the imminent doom of the anti-Christ -.-


All my friends around me seem so happy. They love their families, majors, boyfriends, social life....I don't. My family is too broken and distant. I hate my major but it is too late to change it. I desperately miss my ex boyfriend but I know I can never be with him again and I feel hopeless about finding anyone else/ I don't even have a social life, unless you count going to classes. This is my junior year of college and I have never even been to a party.


Because I don't have a real job, I can't afford nice clothes so I'm unfashionable and I am often jealous of my more fashionable friends. Because of my life and the way I dressed, I have a reputation for being not very feminine and it hurts me so much because inwardly, I'm very feminine. I'm not really ugly, but I'm not gorgeous. I just can't afford to dress well. When I have been able to wear nicer clothes (rare occasions) I think I look pretty good!


Another thing is that I'm overweight. I'm not obese, but I'm large enough to be uncomfortable in my own skin and in clothes. Let's face it, men don't like fat women. So I don't even have beauty to fall back on in order to help me find love again. I feel so hopeless. I have starved myself, but I seem to have no willpower for regular dieting. I often like the pain of starvation, and sometimes I exercise, but I don't lose weight. Or if I do, it just comes back. It drives me crazy.


My schoolwork has gotten so intense lately. Professors are asking for huge papers, but they keep on assigning smaller papers and huge amounts of reading which just sucks away my time. I have always wanted to learn piano, but I don't have time. I did recently take up an interest in a language, but I can barely find time to study it, even though it is the thing I love to do most.
I have always been a top student, but now I just fade away into stressed mediocrity. Everything is rush rush rush! Deadline deadline deadline! Next next next! I want to scream. I want to jump off a cliff. I hate my major so much.......this is just not the life I wanted.


Another thing which I have become painfully aware of is the fact that I complain a lot, much like right now I guess. I can't seem to help it, but since my life is surrounded by problems constantly, I don't know what else I can possibly talk about with my friends. We all know each other too well to have small talk. I hate being a complainer. I hate it so much and I am really trying to stop. That is why I am writing this here and not saying to my friend. I'm too afraid they will just tell me to shut up and stop complaining like they always do.


It is a good thing I don't have a boyfriend. I'm not mentally stable enough for one anyway, I guess. I have no time either. I desire love above all else, but I can't find it. All I have is God, but I always feel like God's biggest disappointment. It hurts me so much to think that, but I don't know what else to think about it. This is how I feel. I feel helpless, hopeless, and worthless. And completely overwhelmed. I have so many problems. I don't even know where to begin to solve them.


So basically, I'm frantically trying to live my life, find independence and love, graduate and achieve my career goals, but I feel like it will be all for nothing if I am just going to die young anyway.


If anyone took the time to read this long letter (thank you!), please help me. Don't just try to cheer me up with 'hey everyone has problems' etc. I need real advice about what actions I can take to help myself. I am so lost. I want to cry. Actually I did cry. Several times. I am literally crying for help. Please...please. help me. Somebody, anybody.

Comments for Overwhelmed

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Thanks
by: Sarah

I really appreciate that each of you took the time to read my pathetic writing. While I still feel like I will die young, things in the present have seemed to have gotten slightly better in terms of living in a new town by myself. I haven't found a job yet, but I have applied to several and I hope I will hear back from them soon. Thank you also for pointing out the bright side of things. Recently I watched a documentary from National Geographic about life in North Korea, and I so if nothing else, I should be jumping up and down with joy for not having been born in North Korea...things in my life could definitely be worse than they are now, but God has truly blessed me with caring parents etc., even if they are divorced and used to fight a lot.

_________________________________________________

Thanks for the thanks Sarah! Make sure you learn everything you can about the Company you are going to have an interview with. This will help you should they ask you questions about themselves.
Good luck.
Love
Kay
x

overwhelmed
by: Anonymous

You are trying to cope with too much as it is, just try and take one day at a time. No one knows what is going to happen and unfortunately some of these very controlling religions often teach the worst scenarios.

God is universal and favours no one, we are all Gods children regardless of what colour, creed, race or faith we come from. He is the universe and when you look at the trees, plants, animals the environment itself, it came from the Great Creator.

If you look, you will find people who are loving and who even though they are not Christian, yet they work for the good of everyone. There will be someone out there you can find and talk to and maybe then you will feel better.

God will not allow the Earth to be destroyed and life in some form will go on, it will not perish.

Try to imagine there are angels out there and I am sure they will help if you ask them. I do believe in them.

There are very few people who at some time do not go through periods of fear and doubt but you work through and finally come across sunshine.
You will find some positive books if you look for them.

Hello Overwhelmed
by: Anonymous

I read your letter and thought of what a great girl you are! Look how much you have accomplished. You are in College. You are striving for a better life and thinking of holding two jobs plus courses to better yourself. You have NOTHING to be ashamed of. I am 55 years old and have three kids who have kids so I have observed and experienced from many angles. There is nothing in your letter that spells defeat. You are so young and do not see how beautiful life will be yet because you are struggling hard to get a life. When I read your letter, I thought, "what a wonderful story this girl will have someday for someone who feels life is hopeless"!!! Hang in there. You are doing a great job.
As for the doom and gloom of the anti-christ and the end of the world etc....I am a Born again Christian too. Read Daniel. Yes there will be a tribulation period, but it only lasts for 3 years. There will be a wonderful 1000 years of bliss on this earth and you may very well be a part of that time. Your children will enjoy the beauty of this world through Christ as satan will be bound. We, and our children have to struggle with the hassle the devil brings to us. So cheer up and believe what God has planned for you instead of what satan wants you to think. He is a dream stealer. If you don't have your dads zest, so what. You are still young and have not had the chance to experience YOUR life's meaning. God does not give the same thing to everyone. Be confident in Him. Be confident in yourself. Take an hour everyday and walk. Walk a bit faster every day until you need to add more miles to your hour as you hit the finish line in less time as time goes on. Use the time to talk to God, get your exercise and free yourself from all this stress. 6 months from now.... look out cause you will be a new woman! :-)email me at ecocad@gmail.com if you like. God Bless!!

Overwhelmed
by: Kay

Thank you for contacting Positive Personal Growth. You are far to young to be filled with all this doom and gloom, whats with this thinking the Revelation is coming soon. Why would you choose to believe this? These thoughts are ruining your life, you should be happy, living life to the full, having fun with friends, not moaning and groaning about the world coming to an end or living in fear because of God.

God is love. God is love. Yes I have typed that twice because God would not want you living in this fear, he didn't give you this life to live it in misery for fear of what may happen. Focus on happy thoughts, be thankful that you have your health, your friends, and stop with the dreadful thoughts you keep speaking about. Be happy. Choose to be happy. Make your life a fulfilled one, go out have fun, join groups to enable you to meet people.

I wish I had you sitting here beside me so that I could drum it into you how fabulous you are, how you have to get out of these rotten thoughts and change your life round now, before you lose friends who don't want to know about misery all the time. Wake up child, live your life free from this fear you have. Get rid of all these thoughts before they make your life even more miserable than you are now.

I can't believe at only 20 years of age you have convinced yourself you are going to die young? This is ludicrous and all in your mind! Get it out of your mind, stop dwelling on all this negative stuff, this is your problem. Your own thoughts are causing your problem. I repeat, your own thoughts are causing your problem. Stop these thoughts, change these thoughts. Don't dwell on what might happen, focus on what you want to happen.

You have to start loving yourself, accept thoughts into your mind that bring happiness, know that God is love, he loves you dearly and in no way does he want you to fear him or be afraid of what the future holds. He wants you to plan for a happy future, going overseas, getting a wonderful job, anything that will bring you happiness. He wants you to start today to get rid of all those awful thoughts you are allowing into your mind, and to allow only happy positive loving thoughts there.

It is your own self talk that will change you. Be strong, stay determined. You can do this!

Love
Kay
x

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