I understand - wait, I don't

I am a good listener. People tell me all sorts of crazy shit. They even ask for my advice, as if I would know. Most of the time I am very disconnected from the circumstances they are dealing with. I never say stupid things like "I understand", "it's God's will", "you'll get over it" or any of that stuff because frankly I am not in their shoes, so I really cannot understand. I am as clueless as any mortal about whatever it is that God's will is, and I don't even know if people can get over some of the things I've heard.

When people tell you their problems they don't need your pity. What they need is to get it all out and talk openly about their problems without having to pretend that nothing ever happened.  At least that is how I feel. Bad things happen to everyone and we all have to deal with our baggage, and talking about it can be helpful. So I listen and make comments about how horrible and sad it all seems, how sorry I am that such things happened, how I wish I could help. And people keep telling me their shit.

Sadly, I clearly cannot talk about mine. I am too sensitive to stupid comments, and I get them all the time. Perhaps that's why I started this blog, so I, too, can get it all out. Even if nobody's listening.