Coffee for here

Today, I waited for my coffee and overheard the conversation of a patron and, whom I presume to be, the owner of the coffee shop.  The conversation hit me hard due to some recent things I do not wish to share at this time.  It really impacted me.

 The conversation went something along the lines of this ('P' is patron 'C' is for Coffee owner):

 P - "Did you recognize my kids? They used to come in here all the time with their dad..."
C - "..."
P - "That's why we are all here, for his funeral."
C- "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, what was his name?"
P - "Name shared"
C - "Do you have a picture of him"
Patron pulls out phone, and shares a picture of him.
C - "I know exactly who that is, what happened"
P - "He took his own life."
C - "I'm so sorry."

 Condolences were shared, then the owner tended to my coffee and I asked if the gentleman was a regular.  He said, "Yeah, he came in all the time; nicest guy."  He also shared that it was ironic because him and a buddy of his had the conversation yesterday that you truly never know what someone is going through.

 I've said this many times in previous posts, and I don't want to be redundant, because my hope is that as a reader you get something new, raw and honest each time you read one of my posts.  We live in a world where people don't openly talk about the tough shit they're going through.  Instead, we post pictures on Facebook and Instagram of the 'Fabulous lives' we live and yada yada yada.  Well, it's mostly all bullshit.  I am guilty of this as well.  Why post the horrible shot of yourself when you can filter that and make yourself look 'skinny' and 'glowing'.  Well that too is a lie.

 You are surrounded by people who suffer with such debilitating depression that they cannot get out of bed. People who sleep with anyone and everyone to feel like they are connected.  People who cut themselves in order to feel.  People who give every ounce of themselves to eat and not hate their self for it. People who are married because they are too scared to be divorced.  People who are so afraid to commit to something, so instead the commit to nothing.  People who think, 'you'll be better off without me.'  People who have nothing more to give, so they give up.

 Be kind. Fight for something. Fight for someone. Love. Don't apologize unless you mean it. Be you. Genuinely care for others. Be your own kind of fabulous.

 If you are reading this and don't think that you matter, that's bullshit.  To see how deeply the man in the coffee shop was impacted by the news of his former patron passing, you can only imagine how his family was impacted.  Don't give up.  Your story isn't over.  The world needs more of you.  The world needs more of me.  The world needs us.

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