There is HOPE
Tonight as I write – one of our most beloved actors and bestower of humor, Robin Williams died today. There are ideas that drugs were once again involved referencing that he was in depression. In the meantime, a young man, Tim, barely 30 is hanging on with a thread after experiencing a heart attack related to his constant drug use.
As angry as we may want to be about people using drugs – and so many do and so many die or wreck their lives and that of those who love them. What is the bigger question? (And I’m sure that more experienced professionals dealing with this certainly have more to say and totally respect their thoughts and information.) Do you know? I have an idea – don’t know if it’s right or not, but we’ll call it a good guess.
They gave up hope! You see, we all need hope especially when life seems to overwhelm us or when we think that others expect more of us than we can produce as well as many, lose a job or a marriage, and so many other reasons.
All of us are mostly alike in the fact that we all have a journey in this life. For some of us, it looks like a cake walk from the perspective of others – yet we never know what your are carrying around in your heart. We all experience trauma, loss, obstacles and sometimes we actually get to experience love, genuine love.
What makes us – those of us who don’t do drugs or overdo alcohol or other distractions – any different? Not much. Some of us take a plunge to dig deep into our heart and soul, look at the pain – even talk to it and try to understand why it’s in our life, then we take a deep breath, say a prayer and allow it, the pain, to go.
Others of us, well we hold on to it because it’s comfortable and we know what to expect even though it is painful – sometimes emotionally and sometimes physically and sometimes both.
Does that make us any better than those who’ve chosen drugs, alcohol, overdoing physical exercise or some other distraction? NO, it does not. Perhaps it has just lessened our pain.
It breaks my heart that the talented Robin Williams has left this earth – he determined it was time to leave us even though we weren’t ready. It breaks my heart that Tim, the young man who hangs by a thread after surgery to relieve pressure on his brain after his heart attack is there – lying in a hospital bed with family and friends saying prayers for him – I am one of those friends. You see, this young man lived next door to me when he was growing up. He was great friends with my youngest son (who has known more loss of friends in his short life of early thirties than most of us). I remember this young man as I choose to remember him – full of life, fun and a good friend to my son. I don’t understand why they chose the path they did, but perhaps we can learn.
My point, when you hit that wall or reach the depths and think that you can’t go any further – pause and scream if you have to, take a bat and beat your pillow ( not someone) and just ask, just call out and pause – take no action of harm, because as the saying goes, “this too shall pass.” It takes having faith that things will get better if we only hang on.
I’ve had more than one “dark night of the soul” in my life, a few times ready to give up, leave, be gone. What kept me from it? Well, when I paused I realized that there are people that I really love and care about and who care about me. I have children and grandchildren and I really didn’t have the courage to cause them probably the worst pain in their lives. AND I realized that I am on this earth to do some work to make the world a better place – honestly sometimes I wonder if what I’m doing does make a difference – and just about that time someone in my life (when feeling really low, wondering if I’m doing the right thing) – a client, friend, stranger tells me that I have helped them, given them hope. Then I understand. I understand that sometimes we sink to low places in our heart only to pause, see a tiny light and reach for it – that ladies and gentlemen is what makes the difference – we reached one more time, we didn’t give up!
Reach out to the people that you love and let them know – even those you haven’t talked with in a while. Life is short and meant to be well-lived – just do your best!
Don’t give up – there is always hope, there is always love – just remember that.
Namaste’
always remember, it’s #TheChatterthatMatters
Note: It saddens me to add – Tim decided to leave this earth on August 14, he is now at peace.