Sunday, April 8, 2012

What Happens When the Spirit Goes?

What happens when the spirit goes? What happens when you feel that you no longer have the inner strength to carry on? When even the smallest set-back feels like a major catastrophe? Although I am not at that point in my life, someone very important to me is. Every defeat seems magnified by the fact that nothing ever seems to go right. This person, who I will call Linda for the sake of this piece, is at the end of her rope. With no job or prospect of one on the horizon, Linda continues to struggle with a variety of issues on a day to day basis. Whether its feelings of low self-esteem, the bombardment of phone calls from debt collectors, who could care less about her situation, the inability to find employment at her age, 55, living only on unemployment until that runs out or wondering if one day she'll end up in a homeless shelter, Linda is at the brink.

With everything that has happened to Linda over the last few years, from losing her job and prior to that, suffering an accident that has left her permanently disabled, you wonder if things will turn around. I can't say that I blame her for feeling the way she does. It's a scary time in her life. Hell, this is a scary time for all of us. Unfortunately, no matter how supportive people are or try to be, it's hard convincing Linda that everything will be all right. The truth is I feel that my words are becoming hollow with each passing day. No, I don't know if things will be all right. I don't know if I can bring myself to continue to say that they will be. I'm only human and face my own challenges that test my faith too. I hope that through prayer, love and faith that Linda remains optimistic and continue to endure. However, when talks of suicide come up once in a while in our conversations, a part of me breaks down. I know that suicidal thoughts have crossed her mind and it has left me absolutely terrified. All I can offer is hope, strength and love, but will that be enough? 

Linda's story is not unique by any means. You may know a Linda or a Tom, Dick or Harry who needs something to believe in during their most difficult times. The thing is, how do you help someone get through the tough times when you struggle with your own faith?