I Need Somebody

“I NEED SOMEBODY.”

I saw this posted on someone’s social media last week. Someone with a life you wouldn’t think would require this sort of plea.

Sometimes, calls like this can be just for attention. Perhaps this person was looking to see how people would react. Maybe it was for personal entertainment or just a request to fill a random lonely evening. There are times when we all just want someone to respond to us.

They see me. I matter.

Other times, it’s for real. We can find ourselves in a place we can’t even remember how we got to.

Sometimes, we put on a performance for so long, it becomes our reality. Sometimes, we can craft such an elaborate life storyboard that the people around us can’t, or won’t, remind us that it is, in fact, a construct.  Everyone goes along for the ride. Perhaps because it’s thrilling or they get something out of the fantasy world, they don’t want to give it up, either. Then, something cracks that manufactured vision. We sense a problem but don’t know how to save ourselves.

We all need somebody.

We can swear up and down that we don’t need help. We can go about our days adamantly insisting that we’re fine, just as we are. I’m an introvert. It scares me basically every time I reach out. However, I’ve learned how much better I feel after I do. I’ve learned that I grow when I do. I’ve learned how problems shrink and answers bloom when I extend my hand, heart and mind AND open myself up to receive the same from others.

Together, we can laugh. We can cry. We can embrace. It’s a 2-way street. We can heal and see the good that we have within and around us if we’re together.

I’d like to thank all my readers. I definitely need (and appreciate!) you. If you are, or know of, a teacher who would like a book of essays, photos and writing prompts all geared towards feeling connected and valued as an educator, please check out my book, Dear Teachers.