I have a friend who is struggling. He’s close to rock bottom but he still takes time out of his life to send me pictures of the places he is. Sometimes it is some view from a garage roof, sometimes it is the Gulf. Yesterday it was this little bird.
I can’t help him. I can’t save him. The hardest thing about friendship is allowing myself to be a friend and not a savior. Not easy. Not for me, I’m a fixer. Funny. A fixer and can’t fix myself.
Still it humbles me to think that he is out there struggling but still takes the time to ask how I am doing and send me pictures. They are always perfect. Even when it is a little brown bird.
Or midnight Marigolds.
He may find his way out of this. He may not. Either way I’ll hold his hand until it is time for me to let go of it. Not a popular opinion or belief. Meeting people where they are and accepting their choices in life is all I can offer.
So here is a little bird.
Love yourself,
Be Kind.
HDS
19 comments
Hazy Day Sunflower, Nice painting!! Sorry about your friend, I hope it turns out OK, yeah that’s what i am to a fixer, but you can’t fix everything, people are hard to fix because they have to cooperate. just do your best.
He is in a really bad place emotionally. Even with all hands on deck he struggles. There is no patch or easy fix. No cure. I can only hold his hand. He cam very close to ending his life a few weeks ago. He decided to take another chance at life. It was nothing I did. Totally his choice. People tend to say “Don’t do anything stupid” when it comes to folks that want to end their lives. I don’t think any thing he did was stupid even up to and including what I thought were his final minutes with me. I never for a moment doubted he was going to kill himself until he decided not to.
Which floored me. So he continues to struggle and fight. And send me pictures. Like this little bird. I have an entire folder dedicated to paintings of things he sends me. A scrapbook. A snapshot of his life and a snapshot of my well being at the time of receipt. It is really wonderful.
No rocketman, we can’t save the world, sometimes we can’t even save one person. But we can love our fellow humans and hold their hands.
Hazy Day Sunflower, OK Time for me to get stupid!!! 🙂 I’LL DRINK TO THAT!! I have getting stupid withdrawals too! 🙂
I am that fragile little bird, and I can’t even fly.
Cruel fact about birds:
Some of them mate for life.
Humans? Often alone for a lifetime.
You are that little bird that people think are brown but upon closer inspection are so many shades of amazing my eyes tear up. You are one of the most spectacular people I have had the pleasure of meeting in a very long time.
My chickens can’t fly. Well they think that can. but truthfully they aren’t getting far. You are better than my chickens. better than that little bird I painted. Even when we mate for life manytime us humans are still alone.
Cordless, i myself don’t understand why a intelligent beautiful person like yourself is alone?
Today I went to the next town over, walked around and took pictures of flowers and nice houses. Right now I’m at a lounge listening to live music and drinking a White Russian (inspired by how you mentioned them a few times, haha). That’s a lovely picture, and I hope your friend will be feeling better soon.
My life sucks too, but in this moment, I don’t dislike being alive so much.
OMG. The hot guy playing guitar is singing an Arcade Fire song now. This just made my night.
WiN!
No music videos attached wit the post this time?
LOL! No. There was no theme music. I invite you to match something to it.
Hehe i was just sayin because i see songs attached wit your post most of the tyms And i really like the taste in music yu hab. Anyways even though i don’t knw how to figure out a proper match, i listen to how to save a life by the fray whenever i miss my frens
@into: this one has one: http://suicideproject.org/2016/05/398070/#comments
Beautiful words HDS and the bird is so cute ^_^ I bet he is very proud of your work. It’s funny that the people in life that are the most sad, in the most darkest of places are more often then not the most nicest, compassionate people that still find time for everyone else despite their own struggles. very sad state of affairs this world is :-s I hope he will be ok :0)
Yes the best of humanity represent here.
I’ll be sending prayers up for your friend. Being a friend and not a savior is admirable, but I can’t imagine the kind of anxiety and pain that puts you through. I’ve only ever used that approach once with a friend, and it was one of the most uneasy and fearful times of my life.
As always, I love the painting. Especially his cute little pink feet. 🙂
No it is ok. I can only control how I react to people’s behavior. I can never control their behavior. I let that go years ago. If he decides to leave I will miss him but I know he is doing what is best for him. He has had a lot of years to work this out. It isn’t impulse. He is a tally helping me more than he will ever know.
Yeah I like the pink feet too.
Love this. Is it digital or on canvas?
All i do is digital but the program mimics oil painting better than anything I have ever used. Plus it is very limited on any kind of effects. About all I can do is erase and change mediums which makes it feel a lot more pure.