Have you ever had a friend who didn’t believe in you? I have. And it hurt more than I thought it would.
Growing up, I always had a deep love for storytelling. I loved writing short stories, journaling my thoughts, and imagining worlds in my head that didn’t exist. But what really sparked something inside me was when I discovered filmmaking. I wanted to become a filmmaker, a female director from Africa, telling stories that would touch lives, bring change, and shine a light on voices that are often ignored.
It sounded like a wild dream to many people. But I was ready to fight for it
I had a friend, her name is Sarah. We had been friends for years. We shared everything, laughed together, cried together, and supported each other through many seasons. At least that’s what I thought until I opened up to her about my dream.
One evening, I told her how I wanted to start small, maybe by making short films on YouTube, working with local talents, and learning how to tell powerful stories through visuals. I was so excited, expecting her to say something like “Wow, go for it!” or “That’s amazing, how can I help?”
But instead, she laughed
At first, I thought she was joking. But then she said, “Filmmaking? In this country? You better find something realistic to do. You’ll waste your time chasing shadows.”
Her words cut deep. I tried to explain how passionate I was, how I’d been reading, watching documentaries, learning editing skills on my phone, and saving for a small camera. But she didn’t see it. She kept saying I was being foolish, that dreams like that don’t work in this part of the world, especially for girls like us.
From that day, something changed in our friendship. I realized she didn’t believe in me. And what’s worse, she wasn’t even willing to try. She kept planting doubts in my heart, laughing at my small progress, and telling others that I was wasting my life.
I had to make a tough decision.
I ended the friendship not with shouting or bitterness, but with silence and distance. I stopped calling. I stopped trying. I allowed time and space to do the work. Because honestly, I couldn’t keep someone that close who didn’t believe in my vision.
Was it painful? Yes. There were moments I missed her. We had shared so many memories. But when I look back now, I have no regrets. In fact, I’m grateful I walked away.
Sometimes, we hold on to people just because of history, forgetting that not everyone is meant to go with us into our future. Some people are only comfortable with the version of us they’ve known for years, but when we start to grow, to dream bigger, they become uncomfortable. And that’s okay. But we must choose ourselves.
Today, I’ve made my first short film. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine. And I’m proud of it. I’ve found new friends who support me, push me, and even volunteer to act in my videos for free. I’ve learned that the right people will find you when you stay true to your calling.
So no, I don’t regret ending that friendship. I did what I had to do to protect my dream, my peace, and my future
Images are Ai generated
