The other night, I was talking with someone that I will call a friend, even though we have had very few conversations.  It was funny, she is about a decade (or more) older, we barely “know” each other, and she appears to be one of those people that everyone flocks to and adores - yet, she tells me that I know her better than most people.  In many ways, I pride myself on my ability to connect with people on a deeply personal level, without invading their sense of personal boundaries.  In fact, it’s a “gift” that I have almost always known that I possess, though I will very rarely “actively” use it.  Many times, meaningful and deep conversations will just happen - perhaps it’s that people sense that I am non-judgmental and will happily listen or perhaps it’s some other unknown force at work.  Generally, however, I am aware of it happening, as it’s happening.

Anyhow, about a year ago, this woman told me - totally out of the blue - that  saw I saved her life.  I was totally thrown?  Whaa??  How??  Well, it seems that this completely innocuous (at least it seemed to me) conversation we had about this facebook link on my page, made her to think about her life in a totally different way.  I had put a link about this young girl in our town who had committed suicide and wrote a comment about how sad it was.  She saw that link.  She then commented to me about that link, very shortly after, when we coincidentally saw one another.  I very matter of factly told her that those stories upset me because I have been suicidal but I never followed through because I also know what it’s like to be left behind.  That I could never do that to anyone - I could never leave that sort of guilt on those left behind.  Turns out she was suicidal.  I’m pretty perceptive but I honestly had no idea…I mean, I got the sense that she knew someone who had committed suicide or was considering it, but I never thought for a second that it was she who was considering it.  That is, until we had that totally innocuous conversation….  So that night, when she told me that I saved her life. That her best friend knows all about me.  That one day, her daughter will know all about me too.  Wow….that’s all I can say.  I basically chose to live my life so that I could help others from my experience but to be able to do it, without even meaning to, and later hearing about it - I can’t put into words how much that means to me.

So, when I want to hide from life and be afraid to take chances, I will remind myself that I am here on earth to make a difference and even the tiniest of actions can save a life.