Alone? A Life Lesson

Life lessons are hard to describe. What means something so valuable to me may seem invalid to others. Our experiences obviously influence our telling of events, and so some may wonder if there is a point in our telling our life experiences. Well this life anecdote has a grade attached to it, so I figure there is a lot of point to this one.

I have lived a life that appears to be characterized by ups and downs. It seems that at the end of the tunnel there certainly is a light, but at the same time, another tunnel awaits me at the end of the light. Such emotional mountains and valleys tend to wear on my emotions after a while, and the valleys become even deeper with each new experience.

My problem always seems to be that I dwell in the hard times without company. Some internal lying machine seems to suggest that reaching out to others would only be a burden. “But I don’t want to weigh them down with my problems; I just need someone to talk with, about anything for that matter.” “No,” the voice says softly but with authority. “What about just a phone call….?” I inquire. “No,” this time louder and more authoritative. “But…?” “No,” the voice shouts in my ear. “No,” he repeats until I have found no alternative but to believe him. I must believe him; he must be correct.

His main purpose is to isolate me as much as possible, and he accomplishes this by rendering me incapable of reaching out to those would care to help me out of the valley. His lies permeate my thinking and ooze their evil way into my actions.

But then I defy him, stand up for myself, and reach out to someone who I care for, and who I believe reciprocates the feeling. I reach my hand up from out of the mire, grasping for something to cling to, and I usually find a friend. Not a friend who is there one second and gone the next, but one who is there, listening actively. Someone who cares about my condition. Someone who can actively contrast the lying machine, who will show me the goodness of my friends.

My anecdote is a simple one. Certainly it has the potential for complexity, but pay that no heed. One of the most important lessons I have learned is always be there if someone wants to talk. I don’t know what he is experiencing, but I do know how it feels to be on the receiving end of a conversation like that. I know how I am lifted up on eagles wings, and am reminded that good still exists in this world to some degree. So if I can accomplish this, even unwittingly, I will be honored above all other honors. I will have loved a neighbor.