No One Is Alone

The assailant in the Virgina Tech shootings is being described as "troubled" and a "loner". It makes me sad to know that this poor kid felt he had no one to reach out to. No friends. No family. No teachers. No one. The sad part is, I think many Asian kids, including myself, have felt that at one point in their life. Our cultures tend to shy away from emotion. We are taught to suppress our feelings and "be strong". Especially in rural areas, we are the "odd balls". We're teased and called derogatory names. We're "pressured" into being the best in all that we do- sports, academics, arts, everything... and if we don't succeed, the feeling of failure is great- especially for someone so young. And because we work so hard to succeed, our social skills don't get the attention they deserve and need for proper growth. Of course, this is a generalization, but I have a feeling many other Asian kids can relate to some degree. I guess what I'm trying to say is that even within our personal "dysfunction", we are not alone. There is always someone who can sympathize with you, who can relate to your pain. In the wake of this tragedy, let's all try to be more sensitive to those around us and lend a helping hand or a listening ear to those who need it... and those who are too proud to ask for it.