On My Mind

A few nights ago, while I was about to go to bed a friend of mine came across my mind. We hadn’t spoken in a few weeks or so; we would usually catch up every once in a while. I was tired but felt very impressed to call him. I have practiced trying to reach out to people whenever they rested heavily on my mind. It was late, but for us both – it’s never too late. I have some people in my life like that – it’s never too late. These are the people who know they can wake me up – I’m here.

We chatted a bit and I asked how he was doing. It wasn’t his best moment. He chose not to go into details and I chose not to ask. We’ve known each other for over 25 years. I knew he would share whenever he was ready. I said good night and told him, ‘I’m here’. Before I hung up, I started to sing one line of ‘Lean on Me’.

Lean on me
When you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on…

For it won’t be long
Till I’m gonna need somebody to lean on

Bill Withers

Before I was finished, he started accompanying me on his keyboard over a thousand miles away. He played – I sang. We laughed, he played – I sang. We spent nearly another hour on the phone exploring the lyrics of some of songs we each liked. He played – I sang. I’d like to think I did what I was meant to do that night. Our love for music dispelled the melancholy in his space, then we said ‘good night’.

Sometimes it doesn’t take much to lift the heaviness or clear the fog in someone else’s world. It doesn’t always require a sermon or some thought-provoking speech. When they dance across your mind – listen to the music and reach out. That’s why we have each other. Our ‘human is truly equal’. We share the same broken, painful world. We take a moment to speak life , ease a burden- add some music to those blank spaces in someone else’s life. Today you- tomorrow it may be me. Choose to be one who lightens the load when you can.

Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.  [Ecclesiastes 4:9-12]