She Needed Me

Today was supposed to be my pity party, my woe-is-me day, and my life sucks moment. I cried, I pondered, and I prayed. And I decided that I didn't want to share with anyone what I was going through. But like a juicy secret that needs to be shared, misery also loves company. For some reason, I kept thinking of my cousin Laura. Since I moved, she's my closest relative that I can talk to, plus she's not so close to my situation, and would hopefully give me her unbiased opninion. I hesitated and waited awhile but did send her a text of distress. She called. Just a few sentences into our conversation, she divulged that her life was admittedly depressing. I heard the pain in her voice, she was struggling, stressing and spiraling out of control. I knew she was dealing with some things but didn't know that she really wasn't dealing with things. I quickly forgot that the conversation had tilted in her direction. I didn't even remember the bullshit that had consumed me earlier in the morning. I knew she needed me. She needed someone to talk to. She was on my mind for a reason but not for the sympathetic listener I hoped she would be. Her voice trembled while she told me about setting an appointment after work with a psychiatrist. She was scared and confused. Most importantly, she admitted that she needed help. We talked through her lunch break and then some. She sobbed. We cried. She tried her hardest to collect herself long enough to hang up the phone with me. I wanted to make today about me and my stress. My cousin was on my mind because she needed me....and I needed her.