Commentary

Bottling our inner feeling

YESTERDAY'S STAR LEAD story highlighted a little girl's struggle to cope with the death of her five-year-old sister.

The story uncovers that the sister's fatal fall from a washtub has not only left her without a very close playmate but with an enormous amount of guilt and confusion that no child should have to bear.

She may forever remember that the last thing she shared with her sister was a squabble in a washtub, which was too small for them both.

However, she may carry the scars forever if she is not allowed to confront her feelings about what happened.

People often scoff at psychologists and psychiatrists and those who employ their services. Outsiders diagnose clients as 'mental cases' the moment they set foot in a 'shrink's' door. Yet, situations like these point out their dire importance and our human frailties.

As social beings it is important to express our deepest concerns as bottling them up inside will either make us reach the breaking point and before long snap.

The brother and both parents of the deceased may also feel responsible that if they were not there to protect them. However, this tragic situation also points out that sometimes things are beyond our control.