Nobody knows the trouble I've seen

It's true that we are all unique. With close to 7 billion people on this Earth, it's rather amazing that not one person is exactly the same as another. There are just enough variables in the paths our lives can take that we each have a different experience and different reactions to those experiences. No one else but you knows exactly what it's like to being doing what you're doing, in the place that you are, at this particular time in your life. It is these variables that make us interesting. Of course, we like being unique, and I certainly know that I get a kick out of being the only one doing whatever it is I'm doing or feeling.

Now, while no one else may be able to relate to the exact circumstances of your life, there is definitely a chance that they'll be able to relate to the feelings.

For example, no one else but me could know exactly what's like to stamp and number 10,000 octavos in 6 weeks, staying late and coming in early to get it all done, and worrying that I'm going to get blamed for anything that goes wrong. I do know, however, that there a lot of other people who know what it's like to stress about a looming deadline and feel like failure equals everyone hating you.

It's easy to forget that. It's easy to play the martyr and feel like the world is out to get you and that no one else could possibly understand. I guarantee you that someone does. This is the reason that support groups and group therapy even exist! People with similar experiences can gather and talk about their individual circumstances and others can share how they've felt or learned from similar events.

At some point, we're all betrayed, heart-broken, or overwhelmed by the general stresses of life. Anyone with any sort of heart would not knowingly inflict that pain on someone else.

The world is not out to get you. We just have to trust it a little more. Trust is a huge thing for me, and I've had the trust I've placed in others completely shattered, but I've bounced back. We all can. We must choose to change and trust and believe before it magically happens, and it can be done.

In the meantime, look for those who may know how you feel. I promise you that they'll have some insights into the situation and will help you find a way through it. Don't assume they don't know, especially if you're only starting to get to know them.

This is true of the good things too, and when you share your good news with someone it might brighten their day simply because they're happy for you and/or they remember a time that it happened to them.

It really is worth it to put that trust out there. We fell a lot when we were learning to walk, but look where it's taken us now!