I really need you to know...

Just keep walking the path...

"The bravest sight in the world is to see a great man struggling against adversity" --Seneca

Muskegon, and anyone else reading this: The interview for the event I'm going to write about had to be pushed back - I will put up a post this weekend (sorry, I hate to promise something and not deliver, but circumstances were not under my control). But it works out, as I have something more important I feel I have to write about tonight.

It gets better. It really, truly gets better. Recently, I saw a high school girl listlessly shuffling along the bike path, her head hung very low, her backpack half falling off, the weight of the world - or maybe crushing loneliness? - on her shoulders. I had the chance to observe her for several moments, as I came up behind her on my in-line skates and then glided slowly past her. She seemed to have trouble even putting one foot in front of the other, as it was just too painful...

Maybe she's afraid to go home. Maybe she doesn't connect with anybody at school. Maybe she failed a test and got dumped by a boy she really liked - or loved. Maybe the demands and pressure of teenage life just became too much for a young girl, so she needed to wander aimlessly along the bike path...

I wanted to talk to her, to find out what was wrong. I wanted to tell her I've been where she's at - and that it's just a stop along the path (though maybe a long one, as it was for me). To cheer her up. To let her know that it's going to be okay. There will be friends, and love, and successes, and laughter...

All I could do in that moment was say, "It gets better!" and slow down a little bit as I passed her ... I turned my head and watched as she slowly, ever so cautiously raised her head. As I rolled farther away, I stretched as big of a smile as I could across my face and said, "It does!" ... The sides of her mouth curled up ever so slightly, then she hung her head again.

In the three weeks since, I have happened to come across many stories, including one yesterday very close to home, about depression, bullying, and teenage suicide. About the horrible economy. About people of all ages at their wits' end...

We all live such fragmented lives these days. Sometimes it's hard to feel real connection to your friends, your family, let alone the people at work or school ... If you even have a job or can get through the school day. Maybe we all just need to reach out to each other a little more, show support to strangers, help each other keep the faith...

I haven't seen the girl on the bike path since I happened upon her three weeks ago. I hope she's doing okay. I was grateful to have the opportunity to help her out in just the tiniest way, as I myself was struggling with my own problems and outlook that day. It was just the reminder I needed that yes, it does get better.

Keep the faith, Muskegon, and everyone. Thanks for reading and imagining.

--Imaginer

P.S. I wasn't even thinking of this project when I spoke to the girl on the bike path, but this is an amazing and exceptionally important undertaking: http://www.itgetsbetter.org/