"إذا أسقطت ألمي في النهر، ستعيده الأسماك إلى السطح مرة أخرى"

The core idea behind the quote is that simply trying to hide or ignore your pain doesn't make it disappear. Think about it this way: if you toss something into a river, it might sink out of sight, but it doesn't vanish. The currents and movements beneath the surface can bring it back up when you least expect it. This is a lot like our emotional pain. We might bury it deep, but it has a way of resurfacing if we don't deal with it properly.

Historically, this quote taps into a universal human experience. Throughout history, people have understood that unresolved pain and trauma can bubble back up to the surface. Even in ancient times, philosophers and thinkers recognized the importance of facing one's inner conflicts rather than pushing them away.

Let me give you a real-life example. Picture someone who loses a loved one but never really allows themselves to grieve. Instead, they throw themselves into work, hobbies, anything to keep their mind off the loss. For a while, this might seem to work. But one day, maybe when they least expect it, something triggers a memory—a song, a place, a scent—and all that bottled-up grief comes rushing back. It's like they dropped their pain in the river, and now the fish have brought it back to the surface. The unresolved emotions demand attention, often in ways that are more disruptive than if they'd just faced them initially.

So, what can you do with this wisdom? The key is to acknowledge your pain rather than trying to hide it. It doesn't mean you have to wallow in it, but give yourself permission to feel. Talk to someone you trust, whether it's a friend, a family member, or a therapist. Sometimes just putting your feelings into words can be incredibly freeing. Journaling can also be a powerful tool for processing emotions. Write down what you're feeling; you might be surprised at how much it helps to get it out of your head and onto paper.

To illustrate this idea, imagine this scenario: You've just gone through a tough breakup. Instead of facing the pain, you decide to "be strong" and act like nothing happened. You distract yourself with outings, new hobbies, and endless Netflix binges. But one day, while you're at a coffee shop, you overhear a couple talking about their relationship. It hits you like a ton of bricks. All that pain you thought you'd buried floods back, and you're left feeling overwhelmed.

Now, picture a different approach. Right after the breakup, you let yourself cry. You talk to your best friend about what went wrong, you write in your journal about your feelings, and you even spend some time alone just reflecting. It's hard, no doubt about it. But because you faced the pain head-on, you start to heal. Gradually, the weight lifts, and when you overhear that couple at the coffee shop, it doesn't sting as much. You've dealt with your emotions in a healthy way, and they're not festering beneath the surface, waiting to ambush you.

In the end, it's all about facing your pain rather than burying it. Life's too short to let unresolved feelings weigh you down. So next time you're tempted to drop your pain in the river, remember: the fish will only bring it back up. Deal with it now, and you'll thank yourself later.