Hi Reader,
"How do you always find something to write about?!"
Simple. Life happens! And I can’t help reflecting on whatever it brings.
This week’s post is no different. It mentions a suicide attempt, so please stop here if this is triggering for you.
It’s been one of those weeks.
The kind that grounds you.
The kind that strips things back and reminds you how fragile, and how shared, life really is.
How lucky we are to just exist.
And how, underneath everything, we are all just human.
As humans, we have moments of joy and moments of despair.
We feel strong and unstoppable, until suddenly we don’t.
We cope, and sometimes we don’t.
We carry on, and sometimes we just want everything to end.
Let me share two moments from the last days:
- A young person attempting to take their own life by jumping from a bridge, who being helped by eight strangers (my husband and I among them).
- A homeless man living in a tent in a local park, being harassed and threatened by a group of teenagers.
I hope you know this isn’t what I usually witness in an ordinary week!
And yet, it happened.
So it hit me:
We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.
- Maya Angelou
It could have been me. It could have been you. It could have been any of us.
The person on the bridge was in deep despair, convinced their life didn’t matter, that no one cared. What I hope they saw, even if only for a moment, was eight strangers who strongly disagreed with that belief.
We stayed.
We had a conversation (or more like a negotiation).
We held them and kept them safe.
And, most importantly, we showed we cared.
I don’t know what will come next for them, but I hope it was enough for them to give their life a second chance.
(We parted ways when the paramedics came)
And this weekend my husband and I were sitting in a park having ice cream at the end of our day when we noticed a group of kids harassing a man in a tent at one of our local parks.
People were walking past.
No one was intervening.
The man was there completely vulnerable, trying to defend himself as he could.
So we went over. And it didn’t take much for the situation to stop.
Just presence. Just witnessing. Just two people choosing to step in and ask:
"Is everything okay? Do you need any help?"
Afterwards, the man asked for one thing: water. I gave him what I had on my bike. Then I asked if he was hungry. He said yes.
No request for money. No alcohol. No cigarettes. Just the basics: food, water, safety.
So we cycled to the nearest store to get him food and more water, and wished him well.
I don't know what happened to any of these two people that led them to where they were when we crossed paths.
And both interactions started exactly the same way: "Is everything okay? Do you need any help?"
For a brief time, we were able to meet them where they were, as humans.
So if you ever notice someone who might need help, or even just to be seen, don’t underestimate what that can mean. A moment of acknowledgement, compassion, or courage can change the atmosphere more than we think.
It could've been you. It could've been me. We just never know, right?
With positivity (and gratitude for being in the right place at the right time, twice),
Lucy
ps: Is everything okay? Do you need any help? If you’re struggling, please know there are people who care and want to help. You matter.
