Confessions of a human sponge

Is being empathetic overrated?

Image of the author

Absorbing the entire spectrum of human emotions thrown at you is tiring.

Scratch that; it’s downright exhausting.

Imagine a student sitting on the front bench in class diligently noting down every word and sound that comes out of the teacher’s mouth.

In a similar fashion, I absorb everything: words, glances, energy, and feelings.

All day.

Every day.

24/7.

All my life.

I absorb and assimilate not just what people say but the silent messages spoken through their eyes, their body language, the tension in the air, the erratic breathing, the huffs and the puffs — all of it.

I’m an involuntary collector of emotions, intentions, energy, and words—both said and unsaid.

It’s a strange burden, being so attuned to everything around me.

I absorb joy, pain, excitement, and frustration from others.

Not only do I lend a shoulder to cry on to friends, but I also become a bottomless vessel for them to pour all their sorrows and sadness into.

I don’t know anything about compartmentalising emotions and letting them stay hidden in…