I feel like a lot of people live feeling invisible to the people around them. Oh, they might notice them for a second but then they fade into the walls and no one ever thinks to look for them again. They feel unconnected to this world. Nothing keeps them tethered here and they find themselves in this limbo of not quite living yet not quite dead.
People need to know that their presence matters. That if you reached for them your fingers would touch their skin instead of going right through them. People need you to pay attention and hear the words in their silence. See the cracks in their mask. Feel the trembling in their smile. Understand the loneliness in their eyes.
People need to know that their life has meaning to someone other than them. People need to wake up and believe that their life ripples into the lives of the people they come across — friends, strangers, lovers, family… They need to have hope and you could give them that. You could give them so much hope with your actions and your words. With your smiles and your hugs. With your warmth and your love. You could be the compass as they journey through this life. You could be the light that guides them out of the dark waters. You could be the glimmer of hope when all seems lost.
People need to hear you say it and have you mean it. They need to see you show it and know that you are sincere. They need you to help them fill the gaps and holes inside of their hearts and souls with your warmth and love and friendship. People need you to help them find their way and know they are not just taking up space. They need to know you won’t give up on them and treat them like a lost cause. They need to know you’ll fight for them and be there when things begin to crumble.
People need to know they can count on you. Count on you to keep your word. Count on you to follow through. Count on you to be there. Count on you to stay even if everyone else leaves. Count on you to be their friend and live up to that word. Count on you pull them out when they can’t do it themselves. Count on you to tell them the truth. Count on you to have their back. Count on you to…
People need to know that they are not forgettable. They need to trust that they have a place in your heart and in your life. That somewhere in your thoughts and memories they would be found. They need to believe that without them your smile would be a little less bright. They need to know that their being there makes a difference. They need to feel like there is a place for them; a home, a spot, a seat, where they belong and are welcomed.
They need to know that they are loved and that they’d be missed…
And when I say people, that includes you and me…
Helping them become visible helps you become visible. Let us be the reasons for them to stay. Let us be the anchors that keep them tethered to this life. Let us be the wings that help them take flight. Let us be the answers for each others questions of sadness and loneliness. Let us be the bandages for our broken hearts, broken souls and broken dreams. Let us be the inspiration, motivation, and encouragement we need to get through today, tomorrow, and all the days to come.
Let us be a light in the dark for each other
