The Problem with Players (Problem #2)

by Brittainy C. Cherry

People’s hearts didn’t harden by choice. They hardened due to traumatic inflictions of pain caused by others.

That was my job as an older sister, after all. To be altogether for others so they felt safe enough to fall apart.

“Don’t marry him,” he blurted out. His voice was low, only slightly above a whisper, and direct. My mind took a second to comprehend what he said. The seriousness in his tone broke my heart. “What?” “You heard me, Avery. Don’t do it.”

“Everything’s always all right. Even when the voices in our heads tell us differently.”

“Should I be worried about you, Coach?” “No. I’m the strong one, remember? No one worries about the strong one. The strong one worries about everyone else. We take care of others. We don’t get taken care of.” “I’ll take care of you.”

“Yeah, but baby girl, asking for help doesn’t make you weak. Sometimes asking for help is the strongest thing a person could ever do.”

“Hyper-independence and a fear of intimacy. A classic case of Older Sibling Syndrome. You think that no one will be able to love you on a deep level because you haven’t even managed to love yourself on said deep level, and you have a fear of letting go of the reins in your life, because you don’t trust others to guide you.” Well, damn. Okay, Dr. Phil.

Don’t run from something real just because you’re afraid of getting hurt or that you’re not good enough. Life is hard, and hearts do break, but those hearts can heal, too.