The Right to Complain

“Don’t complain!
Only so much happened.
There are people who have it worse.”

The futile, but incessant advice

When all you are looking for is an outlet.
For the cut is so deep
That the brave face fails to conceal
And the vulnerability bleeds.

As with all rights,
The right to complain is a relief for those who invoke
And an inconvenient pain for the rest.

I agree, the inconvenience is real 

But only when the right is invoked thoughtlessly.
For when hot water is served instead of cold
Or when the child or pet next door creates an uproar
All you need is patience.
You don’t need to complain then.

But the irritant pain is a shame when one is expected to be a comfort,
A witness to the unfairness and 
A medium to soothe the traumatic wound.

Not the daft kind due to faulty water and naughty brutes
But the kind that exposes a hidden, but purulent damage 
The kind that demands trust.
For there might be a secret,
An incident…people involved.

It requires courage to address the moment, 
Irrespective of how others function.
It requires not being apologetic 
For feeling the unfair life and its imperfection.

To our ears, it might feel like a complaint
But to them, it would be letting go of restraint.

When expectation does not meet reality in this case,
Complaining should no more have a negative undertone

It is, in fact, a very positive and intimate affair.