Lifeline

You are walking along the street and all of a sudden you see a woman walking along the crosswalk and she gets hit by a speeding car. The woman lays on the street and people from all directions run over to help her. She doesn't even have to yell for help, but help is by her side in an instance.

Why is it when it comes to physical pain we are so capable of seeing what each other need? A ride to the hospital, a hand to pick someone up, or simply a band aide. Thank God I have never seen an accident like this with my own eyes, but I see people in pain all the time. In our daily lives we see people suffering with numerous tragedies; addiction, disease, and worst of all the death of a loved one.

I began thinking of this as one of the women I work with had a loved one from home pass away this weekend. I do not know her very well to know how this will affect her life in the grand scheme of things, I do not know how it will change her simple day to day, and I do not know anything about her relationship with this person. But what I do know is that she is no different from the woman on the crosswalk getting hit by the speeding car. Just because she is not lying on the floor of my school physically injured doesn't mean she doesn't need a lifeline. To ignore the pain that must be brewing inside of her would be like ignoring the woman who just got run over by a car on the street. It would be like saying, "Oh, looks like that hurt a little, good luck with that." The crowd around the woman would look at me like I was some heartless bitch. (for lack of a better word)

When it is physical pain, we can not simply say "I'm sorry" and keep moving without this kind of reaction from our peers......so why is it ok when it is emotional pain that someone is suffering, to respond in this manner?

People need a lifeline; some kind of genuine act of kindness that helps them to see they are not alone in their tragedy. They need to feel like when they are drowning from deep unimaginable emotional pain that they can get through the other side of the black hole they have fallen into. That someone out there SEE'S them. However you choose to show you care, do so with the comfort and satisfaction of knowing that you are giving them a lifeline. A moment where they feel like their head is above water, where there may even be a glimmer of hope. They may even have the thought that "Tomorrow may be better...." and by the grace of God you have done it.

A lifeline.......please don't let it just be a concept in your life, make it routine.