Whether it be a chair they promised to reserve for you but did not, or a secret of yours they promised not to tell everybody, but they did, the worst disappointments usually come from those we endear.
After reading Ione: A Sea Witch’s Tale by Mayumi Cruz, I realized that betraying friends, family, lovers, or pets is unforgivable. Ione, an innocent girl longing for love, believed Leif was her soulmate even though they came from opposite sides of their world. Deceived by false promises, she found herself imprisoned for loving a traitor, which led her to take revenge and curse the person she thought loved her. Fooled by his flowery words, “If I am King, I can abolish the Law pertaining to the union between our two clans,” Ione chose to be by Leif’s side until the day he gets the throne. Little did she know that a nightmare of betrayal awaited her, just like Leif’s eagerness to finally get the throne.
Just like Leif’s promise, we all choose to believe someone, and we get betrayed once—or even a few times— in our lives. In elementary school, my friends and I were chosen to perform at an event. We had already learned the choreography and were excited for the big day. Two of my fellow dancers said they would pick me up from my house, and we would go together. However, they didn't show up. I waited alone at home, disappointed and hoping they would still fetch me. Unfortunately, they never arrived, and the event was over by the time I realized what was happening. I was all alone, like a weakling bawling my eyes out.
Looking back, it’s clear how deeply betrayal can affect us. That event from my elementary school days and Leif’s deception towards Ione weren’t just about being left behind—it was about trust being broken by people we considered close to us. That is the thing I can deeply resonate with Ione in the story. We were all innocent, easily fooled, and betrayed.
Thinking of it, I cannot blame Ione. It’s not her fault for believing what was told to her. No one will ever be suspicious of the knife pointed at our neck by our loved ones because all we can see in them is their smiles. Of course, it hurts when someone from our tribe betrays us. But when a person who holds a special place in our hearts betrays us, that is a different kind of pain. It's a deeper cut that engraves into our hearts and makes us wonder if we're somehow to blame. That cut eventually turns into a scar. A scar that lives on every day, for a lifetime, and makes us remember the wound vividly. Another, when someone we love betrays us, it can lead to self-doubt. We start questioning our own actions, wondering if there was something we could have done differently.
That time, I asked myself. Why did they not come and fetch me up? Why did I not go to the event on my own? But, I eventually realized that keeping myself stuck in the dark side of my past hinders me from viewing the beautiful things outside. It was like being trapped in a room with no windows, unable to feel the sun's bright rays. I have already forgiven them because our friendship is still a lot greater than that, for what they did to me, but that memory sparked a change within me. I started to focus on the present and the future, rather than getting lost in what could have been. Ultimately, it was not about why they didn't come for me or why I didn't attend that event alone. It was about me finding the courage to move forward and embrace the beauty that life had to offer, which I hoped I would, but never got the chance because unfortunately, she fell into her grave.
In the end, betrayal leaves us with scars. But we have a choice: let those scars define us, or use them to remind us of our strength. Reflecting on my own experiences and Ione's story, I've learned that healing isn't about forgetting the past but learning from it. Betrayal can hurt our trust and sense of self, but it can also teach us valuable lessons about forgiveness and moving forward. By learning from our past and piercing our vision in the present, we can turn the pain of betrayal into a chance for growth.
By: Ryan Brynesth