2013-09-23 - 2:10 p.m.
Sometimes I wonder why I just care so much, even about strangers or people I barely know. It's their stories they tell. If I pay close enough attention, I can sense their honesty.
Some people say it's my strength; others say it's my weakness. Why do I have to care so much? Why bother? So what?
Some people - especially experts on 'supernatural abilities' - tell me I'm pretty 'special' too. They call me an 'empath'. It's something that I just can't help. I see through their eyes and (can sometimes) notice their mental scars, even when they don't say a lot. The closer and the better I get to know them, the more visible their mental scars can be to my mind's eye.
I didn't realize it at first, until it started growing stronger in the recent years. (If I were in Virginia, I'd probably be applying to be an FBI profiler already in Quantico.)
In other words, I may never have been an ace student in school, but I notice things. I can tell more about what that person doesn't say, if I pay really close enough attention.
When I was seven, one of my then-single aunts invited her guy over to a family function. It was the very first time I'd seen him that night, but I blurted out: "He's a nice guy."
They all laughed at me. Typical grown-ups, thinking: "Don't mind her; she's just a kid."
However, somehow - my aunt had decided to follow my childlike instinct and accepted his proposal. Now they're still happily married and they have a daughter. Cool, eh?
Do you think it's only a coincidence? Well, let me tell you another interesting story.
When Gigi first got in touch with her old school friend Froggy (at that time, she was still with her abusive ex), I'd sensed 'something' too. We'd hung out together one night. When Gigi left for the powder room, I caught it underneath Froggy's stoic expression. His eyes couldn't lie, and it had hit me in a flash of a cosmic wave. (I know this sounds weird, but I couldn't describe it in any other way.)
He was in love with her.
When they started going out after she'd broken up with her abusive ex, I wasn't too surprised. I'd kind of suspected that already. Strange, eh?
They're still going strong today - and I'm happy for them.
Some people have such positive aura - that bright, orange glow I see in their faces whenever they smile or talk about their loved ones. Like Mark last week, when he said he was meeting his fiancee and her parents for the weekend. Josh also had that look whenever he talked about his daughter Keisha(sp?).
I've sensed his sadness too, because he can only see his baby girl at the weekends. She lives with her mother - his ex-wife - in Bandung. There was also another strange part last week:
When I looked at Josh, I swear to God - I was also looking at his daughter's face! That has never happened before.
What does that mean? My 'empathic' ability has developed even more?
Who knows? That could mean a lot of things. A single dad's unconditional love - mixed with painful longing to be with her again and also guilt for not being able to be around for her more often.
Maybe they're already emotionally-connected to one another - or she thinks about him too as much as he does about her. Sweet, eh?
R.
