Breaking Down Walls and Picking Locks: A Plea For Action

Can I ask you to do something for me?


Next time you see a person who puts up walls, break them down. They're not trying to isolate themselves, they just want to feel safe. So break down their walls and care and ask them how they're doing...really, and show them what safe really looks like.


Next time you see a person who threw away the key that opens the padlock on their door, pick the lock. They're not trying to shut the world out, they just don't want to get hurt again. So surprise them with a smile, or a gift, or a kind word.

Next time you see someone who has all but hung a neon 'KEEP OUT' sign around their neck, break in. Not harshly, or in a demeaning way. Carefully, gently, and with lots of love. They don't really want to be alone, they just want someone who will actually stay with them through thick and thin. So be that person.

Next time you see someone who's crying, upset, or having a bad day, forget social norms for one moment, and just go ask them what's wrong. And don't try and fix them. Trust me, they've got people trying to do that already. But that's not what they need. They need a shoulder to cry on, not someone telling them to smile. They need someone who lets life be not okay, because life is so very not okay sometimes, not someone who tells them that everything happens for a reason. And don't tell them to be strong or that this will make them stronger, because it's okay to be weak for a little bit. But you can tell them you're sorry that their life is upside down...that one might actually help.

Next time you see someone who just wants to be loved, and who will do anything to get it, don't tell them they're beautiful. Don't tell them they're worth so much more than that. Don't tell them that they are valued. Go show them that. Go hug them, talk to them, smile at them, and just be with them. They don't need one more cliché thrown in their face. But they could probably use a friend.

Could you do something for me? Next time you see someone who's broken, would you just take a minute to make them feel amazing? Because, and I'm speaking from experience, all they want is to be okay. But no person should have to settle for just okay.  So could you help them? Could you go outside your comfort zone? Could you break down walls, and open doors, and show someone their worth?  Could you live with abandon and realize that it's so much more fulfilling than staying inside the box of what's normal and accepted. Because you could be brightening someone's darkness for just a moment, or you could be saving their life.



You never know.