Even though I was twenty years old, I crawled into my parent’s bed and sobbed.
I felt like a frightened five-year-old, but this time the monsters lurking in the shadows were real.
Everything had changed.
All food had the same bland taste.
Sleep was sporadic and unfulfilling.
I always felt claustrophobic—even when I was in wide open spaces.
Have you had a day like that when your life unraveled right in front of you?
A day that knocked the wind out of you and left you gasping for air?
I remember, though, the exact second when hope seemed possible again.
It was only the thinnest sliver of a sunrise, but in pitch black, even the faintest light is comforting.
My father said to me, “We will get through this.”
He didn’t say “YOU will get through this.”
He said that “WE” would.
A quarter century later I still remember exactly where each of us was standing when he said that.
My parents carried me through that time in my life, until I could walk on my own again. They protected me financially and emotionally. In the end, I emerged stronger for it, but only because my parents held back the wolves of life when I was at my most vulnerable.
Who helped you through your darkest moment?
Who stood by your side, close enough to feel the heat of the flames engulfing your dreams?
Who whispered “We will get through this” in your ear?
Now it is your turn…
Someone you know is gasping for air.
Someone you know is surviving the worst year of their life.
Someone you know needs another person to stand with them in the gap between their dreams and their nightmares.
Someone you know needs your support…
Peace,
Ryan
