Member-only story
Let It Be Lived
Life experience for the win
A friend was in a pickle and reached out to me for help. I was so relieved for them that they had the healthy awareness to do that daunting thing — asking for help. The nature of the the ask was triggering, yet manageable. And I wanted nothing more than to help my dear one navigate their crisis. Why they picked me was obvious: my history. And while it made me tender, it was an honor to be selected to answer the call.
There’s no better teacher than lived experience.
It may hurt, it may be joyful, it may be mundane, but we are all teachers in our own right. Yet some people question their ability to help. I once was offering a barter to someone but their response was, “I don’t know if I have anything to offer.” It’s the same with emotional transactions — we all have something to share.
Something that’s key is themes. People appreciate themes. We all want to feel like we’re not going through something alone. Our brains like and prefer the predictable, so when bad things happen we gravitate to that. It’s up to us to help when asked, even if that help — especially if that help — is pure listening.
My friend was embarrassed and it took a while to allay their fears. History is also an excellent tutor for this; how many times have we fallen flat and come through it? Failing is…
