I'm sure I've mentioned it before: it's a suicide-awareness group that a friend of my good friend [ who has now become a good friend of mine as well ] has been dedicated in advocating. Her creation of this group has most certainly done great things. Not only has she gone around speaking to a myriad of schools on the matter, but her internet expansion has created an influence on many.
If you haven't checked it out yet [ by being observant and clicking the image at the top of this blog - the one with the very intriguing book ] you should get on that. Just take a moment to click and read. Set aside whatever it is you're doing and actually listen to what she has to say. It's important stuff; the words of millions neatly and eloquently produced in a fantastic read. It may not be exactly your cup of tea to go out and be active, but the little things that you do count just as much as the massive deeds.
I was dancing through it because a friend of mine mentioned it today. She saw one of the wristbands [ courtesy of youareloved.co ] that I was wearing. She said that her friend had spoken to her about the website itself. With that embedded in my mind, and the recent entries of cherishing life and the fantastic things of the like, I found it only superbly befitting that the song "Jumper" as performed by Bedlight for Blue Eyes [ whether they are the original artist or not, I like their particular recording ] was one of the few I had scoured the list for to hold such a powerful message.
Simply listening to the song, you hear the same line over and over again:
" . . . i wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend . . . "
It is our obligation to stop them. It is our purpose to help them step down from the ledge and carry their burden with them.
"Where we stand in assistance" basically means what we can do to help them. If it's not literal and physical assistance, then we most certainly can be present as a confidante. It doesn't take any effort to simply sit down and listen to someone else rattle. It surely does not. It doesn't take any effort to be reasonable in a conversation either, so consoling an individual should not prove to be a task for a single individual on this planet. Concern for others is an ideal aspect in a world of peace that not everyone is willing to attain.
It's nice to talk to someone you haven't before. If you've been following along or have been practicing on your own moral objectives, you would have, at the very least, experienced this once. Encountering an unfamiliar face and simply asking the light, small-talk of leisure conversations: "How are you today?" or "How's it going?" leading into a compliment like "Oh, looking great today," or "Very nice shoes." It's something we don't think to do on a daily basis, but it's something we'd greatly appreciate - why not offer it to someone else selflessly as well?
Just as I was typing that, I recalled something very entertaining and appropriate, given the month and season. Twelve or so days until Christmas, it seems, and it's a spectacular occurrence to speak with Santa, whenever you can. Despite your beliefs on the old man, I'd like to honestly make the announcement that he is one of the greatest individuals in "history" and will most likely remain so. So, no need to get offended when people revere him and idolize him during the Christmas Season - we're all aware of what it exactly is about.
Community. And, of course, Saint Nicholas is merely a ploy to reel in that sense of community without any bickering over personal beliefs and ideals more so than usual.
Regardless, my story is more important.
I was on the way to rehearsal, courtesy of the fantastic driving services of one of my good buddies. I was already running a little late, but it was alright [ I got to rehearsal on time, so I suppose I wasn't exactly "late", and we got to meet Santa, but I digress ]. We suddenly decided to pay Santa Dearest, whom we had driven by, a visit; out of the parked car we hopped, and over we trotted. Into his shack, past the display of elves working in their box of a workshop and past the camel and the wisemen - even the Nativity was glowing with a radiance [ and electricity ].
In we went, and to his cramped space we were welcomed with warmth and the typical Christmas carols on an iPod [ Santa's got to treat himself sometimes too ]. So, I went in and he asked me, "What's up, bud?" And I said what I wanted to: not what I wanted, nor how I had been a great boy this year, but how I adored him for his services. How he sat there, negotiated with the little children into things that he could fit into his sack of toys [ or maybe that their parents could actually afford ] and how, on behalf of all of the people who were unable to see him and his wonderful renovation [ he said he did what he could, but he's been trying to spruce up the place by moving the pictures of the reindeer and something about the Missus that I missed, awestruck by one of the self-portraits he had laminated ], that I would be the voice of their appreciation.
And, of course, that I had been a good boy this year.
Haha. I'm kidding. [ Even though I totally have, but that's not the point... Even though it is. ]
He thanked my friend and I, inquiring where we went to school, was impressed and once again thanked us. After an exchange of gleaming smiles and two fist-pounds [ one for each of us ] we were off, wishing Santa a Merry Christmas and lots of egg nog and cookies.
Of course, I can only wish the same for you. But, this season, try to focus not on the materialistic things that you expect to rip open paper about it and find within, but on the words leaving your mouth - on the way you behave - to effectively convey your sentiments of others around you and how much they matter to you.
After all, this is the season.
<3 ~ Monty.
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