Fighting for attention

For people who spend a lot of time alone like me, paying attention to small details is almost always a given. Our thoughts are always occupying our minds, going through every word of a text, analyzing and overthinking it. That is what happened to me with my friend earlier.

Attention from my friends is a hard thing to get. I'm a person who listen more than they talk so I would expect that they would lend me an ear for a second however that is not the case. Our friends use the time that they are silent and you're talking as a break to check their phones. It is something I've noticed, I would tell my friend something today and the next day she will come with the news saying she just heard of it from someone else. There are also times when I would stop talking because I felt like I was talking to myself and lo and behold, they would start a whole different topic when they notice no one is talking.

This might seem light to them, something to laugh over or give the "I can't help it" excuse however to us, it is much more worse than that. It simply makes us feel as if we are insignificant to them. They would rather be on their phones or do something else than give you what you give them. And that hurts. It is also a bit annoying because at some point they will want you to repeat yourself.

It is said you should do unto others what you want them to do to you. That concept clearly flew over a few people's heads. It doesn't take much, get your phone to silence and listen to what your friend is saying, or your date. It will still be there later when you part ways.

Now I am not saying that I am perfect, I am also guilty of checking my phone at times when hanging out with friends however I try to stick to just checking who texted me. We all know you cannot miss a text or call from your mother.

And that is all it takes, trying. Let people know by your actions that you care about what them.