When I was a teenager, I had the same problem that most teenagers have — I was too proud to ask for help. Such an unreasonable sense of pride led to a self-inflicted sense of loneliness. I would sit there, waiting for people to discover my talents, my so-called “inner beauty”, my dreams and aspirations. And when no one really paid attention to me (i.e. they were too kind to disturb my privacy), I would say to myself, “It’s OK. I have two hands, and they can always support each other. There’s really no need for anything else.”
It is possible that such foolish self-indulgence also derived from a false sense of self-confidence. I believed I could do everything by myself, and as long as I work hard enough and wait patiently, sooner or later people would notice me. So I waited… and waited… and waited… and today I am still working hard at waiting patiently.
When I searched online for an image to go with this article, I found many that convey the same message, “It’s OK to ask for help.” Is it really? Another image says, “The only mistake you can make is not asking for help.” The only problem is, not asking for help is such an easy mistake to make. It is a mistake that is so hard to correct!
Still, I am learning… and this is one of my very first steps. Please help and vote for me. If you look at the sidebar of this blog, you will see a huge, bright blue image saying “Vote for Me Now — Best Australian Blog 2014”, which is designed by the Australian Writers’ Centre. The “People’s Choice Award” is now open for voting, until May 5.
If you could take a moment and click on that huge, bright blue image, kindly click through the pages of blog listings until you reach my blog “Voices under the Sun”, and vote for it — I would be very grateful. According to the Australian Writers’ Centre, the winner of the People’s Choice Award will receive 1,000 Australian dollars’ “in writing courses”.
Wherever you are, please help. Thank you.
Voices under the Sun 陽光下的聲音 