Today, still rattled by the death of one of my heroes, Anthony Bourdain, I went and sat outside and drank a cup of coffee and scrolled through the heartbreaking testimonials. Many of them had Suicide Prevention lines attached, which was nice 1/
but also complicated. “Talk to someone” people kept saying, which is fine advice, but not always possible. The mind shuts off escape routes, a person on the brink often can’t make that call. So in addition to that, I’d add this: 2/
Ask. Check in. “How are you? I noticed that you’re hiding yourself” is a question maybe we need to ask each other more. I know why we don’t — well, I know why *I* don’t: because we’re worried that we can’t offer a solution, can’t direct our hopeless friend to the right 3/
expert, the right answer. But maybe we don’t need to do that. Maybe all we need to do — all we can do — is be present and quiet and attentive and hope and pray that we break the fall a bit, that we interrupt the cascade down into this. 4/
People on the brink, or past it, tend to have made up their minds. They tend not to call the hotline. So maybe we need to ask. 5/
Anyway, today was my birthday and it was a good day but also a sad day and I saw a lovely looking pavlova in the Dominique Ansel bakery on 7th Avenue and I bought it and later tonight I’m going to share it and it will be delicious, I’ve decided, because 6/
it’s covered in fraises des bois, wild strawberries, which are rare and don’t last long and delicate and when they’re around it’s a sin not to enjoy them with gratitude and love. And yes, that’s a metaphor.
