Along The Way

Along The Way

John Paul Derryberry

If I could craft a story that would change the mental health course for the better for the entire audience, I would. But I don't possess that power, probably never will. I enter into all my talks to reach one person, to change a single individual's mindset around their mental health. It's a more realistic goal. If I give enough presentations in enough places, eventually, I can craft a story that will change the course of mental health toward the healthier for everyone.

This has been on my mind this week as we continue to see more COVID deaths and the power outage situation play out in Texas. All of a sudden, it doesn't feel like the American dream is so healthy. Our Capitol was run over; a small but loud part of the population wants to act like words don't carry the power to inspire hateful acts.  We couldn't stay socially distant to stop the virus; we couldn't wear masks to prevent the virus from spreading.  Now, an entire region is without power and leaders are lying about green energy not working in the cold.  

There is always a lot of "what-if" talk from people. If I had enough money, I would end homelessness, kids going hungry, or domestic abuse. The harsh reality is that no one possesses the ability to wipe these horrible acts out of culture. So we rely on a failed narrative about rugged individualism to excuse away society's lack of empathy toward each other. If you just tried harder, you wouldn't be in this predicament, they say from the safety of their parents' bank account.  If you had more substantial willpower, you wouldn't use drugs they say, while sipping on their diet coke, itself a legal drug.  

The notion you have, while driving by a homeless person, that this situation reflects society, not the individual, is lost on most. It's a way to divide us into the haves and have nots or into the successful and the unsuccessful.  Even though we have no way of knowing: if we grew up in their circumstances, would we be them, and would they be us, if given such advantages as a stable home to grow up in. While individually we can do only so much about the suffering in our society, collectively, we can move society great distances.

It takes us reexamining the question that started this post, what would you do if you could? For the wealthy: a lot more could be accomplished in this country, if we would judge people by the lives they better rather than the wealth of their family. For most of us: it's deciding what we will accept as an individual problem, of which there are many, and what we decide is a societal problem, of which there are many.

I chose to see humans as humans, as complicated beings who need to feel secure, loved and accepted before they can find the best version of themselves. I choose to see society as a place that doesn't have the will to include everyone because it must have a winner and loser to sort out. If I could craft words, a story, or had the wealth to make the world better, I would, because we all should. For now, I have settled on creating content that maybe changes two people's outlook of a healthier way of life. We've gotta start somewhere, and that's as good as a place to start as any. I hope to see many more people join me at that starting line. It won't be a race to see who wins, but a race to see how many people we saved along the way.