Your Life Won’t Go Anywhere if You Support Others

I want to preface by saying that many people may support different causes behind closed doors, and that not all forms of support and care are by sharing, therefore this is a general message and something I want people to sit with and question themselves about, as I have been doing myself. 

Can you ask yourself at what point, does caring about someone else's problem become a burden to you, then ask yourself why? When a friend of yours loses a family member, how long do you stay checking in on them? When you hear about a mass tragedy, how long does it stick around in your brain, and what are you willing to do to help? We trick ourselves into believing that if we ignore something, it will go away, which, depending on the severity of it, is a lie. Ignorance is just a way to make sure our feelings don’t get too hurt, but what kind of person does that make us? To ignore the devastation going on in the world, to turn a blind eye when we notice someone in need, even when it costs or takes nothing from ourselves. From my experience, I have never once felt good about turning a blind eye to an issue bigger than any of us, or assuming that the people we love are doing just fine after a loss or a heartbreak, without that one simple text telling them I love you, or I am thinking about you. 

Ignorance, pride, fear and possibly pure laziness is what stands in the way of someone standing up or showing support, but I can say that whenever I have faced something head on, or I have went even slightly out of my way to support someone, I have felt significantly more prideful than I ever would have by sitting back and watching. Our lives will still be there to come back to when we support others, and contribute to community, and provide open arms, while others lives will not be, or will have changed considerably. Yes, it may seem easier in the moment to look the other way, but knowing you did nothing is no way to live. It surely is not the kind of human I want to be, either. 

The actions we can take as bystanders are minimal to us, but can be paramount to others. We just have to acknowledge what could be standing in our way of doing so, and then change our perspective. Our own lives are not the only lives that matter. Showing up and being there for the people around you, that you know or do not know, will never be the wrong thing to do. As humans we don’t want to be sad, and we are wired to be selfish, but we can all agree that the current state of the world is unsettling, and people need community, love, and support more than ever. Let us all be proactive to the greatest of our abilities. Learn, love, and lend your support.

RESOURCES FOR ANYONE AFFECTED BY THE LUPA LUPA FESTIVAL ATTACK:

Filipino BC: For community support and resources, visit filipinobc.com

9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call or text 988 anytime for immediate mental health crisis support across Canada

Youth in BC Distress Line: For youth-specific support, call 604-872-3311 or chat online at youthinbc.com

Victim Services: For anyone who witnessed or experienced trauma, call or text 1-800-563-0808 or email 211-victimlinkbc@uwba.ca

310 Mental Health Line at 310-6789

Crisis Line: 1-800-784-2433

TO DONATE BLOOD: https://myaccount.blood.ca/