There are Too Many “Not My Problem” People

Acamea
4 min readMay 30, 2020

And not enough people holding others accountable for their actions.

Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash

I’m guilty of being a “not my problem” person on occasion. Not because I don’t care, but because I’m prone to getting wrapped up in and weighed down by situations beyond my control. I’ve had many sleepless nights agonizing over why a friend won’t leave a painful relationship or worrying about the parenting of my nieces and nephews. I’ve felt indifferent to being in this world because of how awful people can treat one another.

I never adhered to the “mind your own business” directive until minding others’ business started to erode my mental and emotional health. I cared too much. I learned that I needed to be selective about how much negative stimuli I allow, with the understanding that it can be difficult for my spirit to carry.

I’m an empath by nature — a logical, integrous one at that.

I don’t understand deciding against your best interest, doing things that don’t make sense, or deceiving and treating people that you claim to love poorly.

I don’t understand hatred, cruelty, or the inherent concepts of racism and oppression. I comprehend the motive behind oppressive systems and that many of those who engage do so for their gain. They keep others down to protect…

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Acamea

Pushcart Prize nominated essayist and memoirist. Author. Music connoisseur. Multi-passionate creative. I’ve lost a lot of sleep to dreams….