There’s a myth that says gingers don’t have souls. It also says they take the souls of others. A soul is a root of all feelings. As a ginger, I look at my life and think there’s some truth in the myth.
I have core values that define my life and explain my actions. One of those values is a major pillar of Buddhism: remove suffering from my life and attempt to help others relieve their suffering. This makes it feel like I don’t have a soul, as odd as that sounds.
Sometimes I come off as an asshole. When you tell me about your suffering, I believe you need to do something to remove it. Of course I’ll listen to your troubles; sharing can be an important step to removing it. However, if you keep bringing up the same troubles over and over I’ll tell you to stop bitching and do something it! I just want to help, but sometimes my words and tone might not convey my intentions. It might seem like I don’t have a soul.
If you come to me after a break up, I’ll listen to your thoughts and feelings; I’ll probably not give much advice, because I won’t have any. If me lending an ear is what you need, then I am there for you. But if you keep coming back to me and saying “what could have been” then I’m going to get tell you to get over it! It’s over, and there’s nothing you can do about it! Yeah, it’s soulless, but you are suffering because of it and you need to move passed it. Dwelling over the details is not helping. I wish I had a magic wand to help you, but I don’t.
The other part of the myth is I take souls. My interpretation of this isn’t really taking your soul. Instead, I think I share your soul, thus your suffering and feeling as well. The only feelings I have felt are the ones I have experienced. I want to experience more, so I want to share your suffering! After you tell me everything about your breakup or any suffering, I don’t just forget it. I’ll analyze it, and try to duplicate how you feel because I’ve never been through it. I don’t know if it helps, but I’ve thought about your pain, and it in turn eats at me. I’ve shed tears because of the feelings even if I have never experienced them first hand. It makes me more empathetic.
I have these two parts and they seem conflicting. I’ll tell you to take action to remove your suffering, while I’ll also take on your suffering myself. But maybe it’s not that conflicting? I want to help you; you do not have to attack your suffering alone. To do that, I need to know your suffering so we can attack it together! So, if I come off as an asshole, know that I’ll be thinking of your suffering later, and I’ll most likely be getting angry, sad, or even helpless just like you. Please, know that I do have a soul; I share yours.