The Strength in Reaching Out

The experiences I had growing up taught me to be strong, not just physically or emotionally, but also strong in a way whereby asking for help seems like weakness to me. For years I saw that as the way to go, with the belief that handling these challenges on my own was a badge of honor; however, things changed some time ago, and I'd love to tell you all about it.

One thing about life is that it has ways of humbling us, and in 2024, I faced one of the toughest challenges of my life. Earlier that year, I was going in and out of the hospital month after month, medical bills piled up, my strength was deteriorating, and I could not bear the weight of the emotions any longer. It got to a point where I was literally scared for my life. It was during the same time that my elder brother got kidnapped, an experience that shook my family and gave us sleepless nights due to the demands of the kidnapper and fear for his safety. Despite my own challenges, I still tried to stand like a pillar for everyone, even though deep down I myself was crumbling.

On one fateful day after a daring hospital visit, I sat alone somewhere in the hospital and broke down. I must say that was the turning point for me, because I was overwhelmed by everything that was happening at that moment coupled with the interaction I just had with the doctor, and so I did something I've never done: I picked up my phone and called a friend, and I said something I've hardly said since I became an adult. I told him I needed help, not for money, nor for a solution to my problem, but mainly for support, in the sense that I needed someone to listen to, someone I could pour out my heart to, and someone who would make me feel like I'm not alone.

After pouring out my heart to him, I didn't expect what followed because I felt free from vulnerability. It's surprising how something I used to fear turned out to be the key to my healing. The person I spoke with showed up for me in ways I never expected, from being attentive and listening to offering prayers and tokens of care. The most precious gift of all that I held dearly was their presence.

It was at that very moment I learned that strength isn't always about enduring in silence; sometimes it's about putting aside our pride and letting others lift us up when we can't stand on our own, and I realized asking for help doesn't mean you're weak; instead, it means you're only human after all, so that experience went on to enhance my gratitude for the people in my life.

Although that doesn't mean I now open up about my problems to everyone, the lesson I learned from that is one I carried with me to this day, helping me to check up on people and also not hesitate to reach out for help when I need it. The main reason why we have people around us is so they can help us out during tough times; no one is meant to walk alone.

All photos are mine.