Just go through it...

Adapted from AJ's Advice (my column) on thestudentreview.co.uk

There comes a time in pretty much everyone’s life when you just wonder if the world is ever going to listen to you. All the things we try and do – are they ever going to make a difference? We hope so, somewhere along the line, but it’s frustrating when you keep having to wait. However, good things come to those who do wait. Trust me. This post is dedicated to Mr. Troy Davis, who was executed one wednesday night ago in spite of millions campaigning against his sentence.

It’s tough having to watch everything you say be disregarded, especially in a case like Troy’s, but everyone will make a difference to someone. Even if your mark is small, at least it’s there, eh? Apparently it’s rare that people cry tears of sadness, but more commonly of frustration – a complicated emotion though it may be. I’ve had many tears of frustration myself, and I admit that with pride. Don’t be ashamed of the tears, they only make you human.

So I want to pass a message to Troy Davis’ supporters, and his family, and his friends. We weren’t heard on Wednesday night, not by the Georgia Parole Board, nor by the district attourney, nor the person who sanctioned the warrant for the execution, but now we can fight for everyone in the same situation as Troy was. There was too much doubt about his execution, and when the decision was made it was a sad day for justice, not just in America, but worldwide. But we’ll keep going, because that’s just what we do. The world may be a dark place sometimes, but that doesn’t stop us from lighting a candle. You can find more details about Troy Davis and the case on the Amnesty International website.

So I suppose this is about emotion. I'd always been afraid of showing emotion because I'm always the strong one, the quietly confident, suffer in silence type. But I have very low self esteem and the truth is, the strength is a bit of a facade. Don't get me wrong, I'm stubborn as hell, and I hate giving up, and I'm strong enough to handle my own problems and help others with theirs, but I've become very good at hiding myself. It's a strange feeling. Life can be hard, but we have to go through it. Don't give up, talk to someone about it.

So while I'm here I'm going to try to make a difference, because that's what I want to do. We all make a difference, even if it's only small. Even if only one person hears you, think to yourself, what if another person hears them, and so on. The pattern could be exponential if we try hard enough.

AJ