Group Chats & What You Don’t Know About Them

Last week an old and dear friend who now lives overseas, popped by for a short visit.

With a rush of adrenalin we hurriedly organized a small gathering of six childhood schoolmates on Sunday to meet her.

“Hey, aren’t you in our Whatsapp group anymore?,” Jess asks Lizzie, our overseas visitor.

“Nope, hahaha. So...SPILLL what’s been happening?”, Lizzie responded, eager to catch up.

“High drama, I tell you!”, Jess says, eyes wide and starts to update.

The Drama of Whatsapp Groups

Long story short, apparently our friend Patricia had shared some information in the Whatsapp group about Covid - this was 2021, in the peak of COVID in Indonesia.

Another friend in the group, had curtly shot the message down saying people should stop posting negative messages. Others diplomatically chirped in that sharing facts can be valuable, and the need to chill.

Patricia did not take it well, and decided to leave the group. She also blocked other well-meaning friends who tried to contact her.

While most in the group felt that the sole vocal negative reaction to the COVID post was over the top, there were mixed reactions about Patricia’s actions.

Rudeness is never justified, but it is equally regrettable to see the choice to allow hurt, bitterness and a sense of injustice rule over our cherished friendships and maturity to accept that life is not always a bed of roses.

In life we encounter awful situations and people sometimes. We get over it. We move on.

I wondered perhaps Patricia had taken it too hard because she had not faced worse-off situations in life. Or maybe she had, and had taken the same approach?

I began to feel grateful - for in my past corporate life, I’ve faced my share of crap, said in front of me, behind me, beside me. What felt like hell’s stove top then, now appears to be a invisible character-weaving mill.

Small Wins

Managing to stand tall, forge on and face the next day, turns out are ‘small’ wins that make up the fibers of our strength and character.

To walk on without holding on to bitterness, is accepting grace from God.

Here’s to small wins, my friends!

Indeed life is too short to miss out on a Sunday with good friends.

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