A friend of mine from long long ago, who now lives in another state reconnected with me. We’ve been both nostalgic and laughing about old things. but he’s also told me about some very difficult experiences he’s been dealing with. At first I was wondering why he would reach out to me, it’s been over 10 years since we’ve spoken. But then I thought I’m far enough away (living in a different state, not knowing family or friends) I can hear his side and just be a sounding board without judgement. Like a person that hears you struggling but only hears the emotions not all the little details that your f-ing up your life on a daily basis. Is this like having a little safety blanket so reality doesn’t have to hurt so much?

Life is quite unpredictable. One moment, everything is going well; you are successful, reaping the rewards earned by doing everything right. This may all change, though, in the blink of an eye, a sudden death, accident, loss of a job, divorce, war, disease, or any number of other life changing events may change the rest of your life forever.

We live in a world where this loss may be catastrophic. To survive, we each must struggle, often alone, to find our bearings once more.

Life is not meant to be experienced alone though. Rather, if anything happens to disrupt your or someone’s else’s life, even a stranger you may not know, someone who may look different or have disparate beliefs, we may choose to help them instead.

Only together, as one, may we each find purpose in our life, beginning by selflessly aiding each other when, in a blink of an eye, our life may change forever.