One day can change your life.
I thought about this fact this morning as I rolled out of bed, scooped up Balboa and headed out the door to walk him. It was exactly 5:25am, the exact time I had stepped out of my apartment last week and noticed a police officer sitting in front of one of my neighbour's door. Last Thursday had changed his life -- he had ended his life -- and it had a rippling effect on the lives of those around him including me. I still feel the ripple and, ever since last Friday, I can't help but star at his door as I walk towards the elevator and then glance back at it as I exit the it. He lived but a 15 second walk from my apartment door. Someone who was so sad, so desperate for help, in such a bad place emotionally lived so close to me. I would have reached out to him I had known but how was I to know. All us neighbors are having mixed reactions to this situation, to him, but I think it's hit me much harder than perhaps it should. Or maybe we should all be shocked and hit hard because of it. Maybe that's what will bring about change, maybe that's what it'll take for us to reach out of our comfort zone and extend companionship and love to those around us.
He lived on my floor and yet none of us here knew he wanted to kill himself.
One day can change everything.
I officially hate 5:25am on Friday mornings. It's a hard moment, a sad memory, and a rough reality to wake up to and experience over and over.
No comments:
Post a Comment