Trapped in the In-Between

Trapped in the In-Between

By: Lilo Phedra | Date: February 1, 2025

There’s a strange kind of exhaustion that comes from waking up every day and doing the same thing. Cleaning. Arguing. Running errands. Scrolling through my phone for hours, music playing in the background, trying to drown out the frustration. And then, the next day, it all repeats.

I tell myself it’s just a phase, that things will change, but right now, I feel stuck. I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering what my life would look like if things were different—if I had a job, if I had the freedom to just experience the world without guilt. But instead, I’m here. Waiting. Wishing. Existing.

I used to think I was just overreacting, that maybe I was being dramatic. But I’m not. This feeling is real. The loneliness, the frustration, the sense that everyone else has moved on while I’m still standing in the same place. The friends I once had—gone. Some moved away, others lost to time, their phone numbers disappearing along with them. I think about the friends I made at school, the ones I actually connected with, and now, they’re living their lives somewhere far from me. And here I am, still waiting for mine to begin.

It’s not just personal struggles that weigh on me—it’s everything. My country, Congo, is drowning in crisis, led by a president who does nothing. The world feels so chaotic, and yet, my own life is standing still.

I keep wondering if moving out would change things. Maybe if I had my own space, I wouldn’t feel like I have to explain myself to anyone. Maybe I’d go out without feeling like I have to justify why. Maybe I’d feel like me again.

I don’t have a grand conclusion to this. No big lesson or motivational ending. Just the truth: I’m here, and I’m tired. And if you’ve ever felt this way—lost, stuck, unsure of what comes next—just know that you’re not alone.🌺

I don’t know when things will change. But I have to believe that they will.❤️

Congo Bleeds, and the World Watches🇨🇩👀

Congo Bleeds, and the World Watches

I am exhausted. I am furious. But most of all, I am disappointed🔊

For six years and five days, Félix Tshisekedi has ruled Congo, and yet, when the time came to defend our land, our soldiers were unprepared. No strategy. No warnings. No real leadership. How do you lead a nation sitting on gold, cobalt, and diamonds without preparing for the inevitable? Did he really think our enemies would sit back and watch?🚫

Now, Goma has fallen, and chaos has swallowed its streets. The M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, have taken control, while our so-called allies play their usual game of hypocrisy. The United States condemns Rwanda but still funds Kagame's military. The West "calls for peace" but does nothing to stop the looting of our resources. Congo is always a battlefield⚔️, yet never the priority.

A Leader Who Failed His People

Tshisekedi had years to rebuild our army. He had years to strengthen our borders. And yet, when war knocked on our door, our soldiers were sent to fight with nothing but courage and prayers. No proper training. No resources. No preparation. How do you rule a nation so rich, yet leave it so defenseless?💵

Did he think our minerals wouldn’t tempt both enemies and "friendemies"? Did he not learn from history?🇨🇩

Betrayed by the World, but Not Broken

The world has always played games with Congo. Our suffering is a business opportunity for others. But we, the people, refuse to be pawns in their game.

I may be furious, but I still have hope. Hope that one day, Congo will not just survive but rise. Hope that we will no longer be a playground for foreign interests and weak leadership. Hope that we will finally have a government that values the lives of its people over its political games.🤞🏿

But for now, we must face reality: Congo is bleeding, and those who should have protected it have failed us.

How much longer must we wait for real leadership? How much more must we suffer before we say, "Enough"?!✊🏿

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