A SPONGE, ARE YOU?

The ache she felt in her chest wasn't as a result of a medical issue. It was far from it for she was healthy physically but her mind, her spirit was sore. Esther took a deep breath, a practice she learnt would bring some calm. However, this deep breath had no business with 'calm'. It went further to the depth of her lungs to fetch more water from the well of her despair.

She sought the remote with trembling fingers, found it and hastily switched off the television. The voice of the newscaster delivering such melancholic news tore deep into her chest, she could bear it no longer. 'How can a mother lose three of her kids in one day, at the same time? It wasn't fair!' she thought as her eyes welled up with tears. The environment suddenly chose to wear the colour black, spelling sorrow. The atmosphere, so gloomy.

Her mind was an expert in connecting dots not necessarily connected together, but probably having same effect - sadness. Her thoughts flashed to Mrs Simiat, a woman she had met in the bus the other day. Mrs Simiat sat beside her, her arms crossed over each other, and a veil covering her face. The wind blew as the bus sped up and the veil shifted a bit revealing a swollen eye Esther couldn't ignore. 'Excuse me, ma'am', she called to the woman beside her, after a brief debate in her head as to whether she should mind her business or ask questions.

Mrs Simiat's narration of how she'd been beaten severally by her husband sent sharp waves of pain to Esther's heart and she fought tears.

This memory, coupled with the recent news put a heavy weight of sadness on Esther's shoulders and weakened her to the core. She was an empath, a Sponge. 

Often times, she absorbed emotions around her, from people she spent time with. She didn't know how to care for others without letting the river of their pain enter into her boat to the point of sinking her down, even further than the original pain-bearers. It affected her mental health, her prayer life, her relationship with people, and of course, her countenance. It would usually take her a long while before she could finally squeeze out all the pain she'd absorbed.

Esther's character probably resonates with you. You do not know how to filter the energies you receive, you just absorb all- the good, and the ugly. It weighs you down, slows you down too and tells on your disposition. You are like a sponge🤗, an empath without filter 😊.

Hey, you know you do not have to absorb everything.

It can be mentally draining and uneasy to manage. You can help yourself out by applying the following:

- Set clear boundaries. These boundaries should be placed regarding those you chose to spend your time with, the things you choose to listen to, the movies you choose to watch and so on. Just mindfully watch the things you expose yourself to. 

- Embrace and Utilise the strength of your Sponge-likeness. Being a Sponge isn't necessarily totally negative. You can absorb the good stuff as much as you can the negative ones. Channel your energy to exposing yourself to things that will uplift your spirit, keep you in a bright mood, cool and sane. Spend time with loved ones and people that energise you. 

- Becareful not to submit to fear and anxiety in the process of filtering the energies you absorb. There is a tendency to fall on the path of fear and anxiety in a bid to avoid negatives. You have to understand that as much as you'd guard yourself against negative energies, it does not imply that at the hearing of a 'sad story', you take to your heels😂, or shut your ears with clear rigour. Sometimes, you will have to hear those things or come across negative energies. What are you to do at this point? 

Create a shield in your mind and understand that you can be apart from the energies you feel around you. You can observe these negatives and still maintain the inner peace and joy you feel. 

- Know that as a Sponge that absorbs, you can also squeeze things you don't need, out of you. When you've absorbed the bad stuffs, and it's already feeling overwhelming, hey, just squeeze 'em out. You can do this by decluttering your mind through means of journaling, praying, etc, and replacing your mind' s space with the good stuff. 

- Don't forget to talk to your Daddy in heaven about how you feel. He made you, so He definitely knows the stuff you're made of.😊He will help keep you sane. 

Have a lovely week 🤝❤️