The cursor blinks, nudging me as if to say, Write something. The white page stares back–stark, blank and a little overwhelming. Everything else seems to pull at my attention, trying to distract me from the inevitable deadline that inches closer. I need to write, but I don’t know what to say.
This isn’t just a writer’s dilemma. So often in life, we don’t know what to say. The simple greeting, Hi, how are you? can feel just as daunting as a blank page. Do I put on a happy face and say that everything is fine, even when my heart feels heavy? Or, do I answer honestly, at the risk of burdening someone else with my struggles? The truth is, that question nudges me in the same way the blinking cursor does–Say something.
The reality is, I can’t fully know what another person is going through, just as others can’t completely understand my experiences. Life is a wonderful gift, yet it also holds incredibly difficult seasons. I can be grateful and positive, yet feel weary, numb, or overwhelmed. I honestly don’t always know how to reconcile the two. Somewhere along the way, I’ve internalized the idea that sharing joy, hope, and inspiration is acceptable, while admitting struggle, sadness, or exhaustion is not..
And still, the cursor blinks, demanding something of me that I’m not sure I have to give.
One thing my boys have taught me is the power of asking good questions. Recently, one of them shared that in their friend group, they asked each other, What are you struggling with? In a world of curated social media posts and filtered perfection, those kinds of honest conversations matter. They remind us that behind every polished image is a real person with real challenges–and sometimes, all it takes is the right question to open the door to deeper connection.
It’s okay to say, Today is a tough day. It’s okay to admit, I’m struggling today.
And then remember–the blank page will not always be blank. Just as seasons change, so do our struggles. Life ebbs and flows. Some days will feel light; others impossibly heavy. Maybe the most honest thing we can do is simply acknowledge where we are. Because just like the cursor, life keeps moving forward.
And eventually, the right words will come.