Some years ago I was quite concerned for a friend of mine who seemed much quieter than usual. Instead of his normal cheery self he seemed to be introverted and kept to himself. The kind of things we did as a group “Tom” gave excuses as to why he could not attend.

At the time I wasn’t a trained social worker and hadn’t even thought about studying however, intuitively I knew something was ‘wrong’ but I wasn’t sure what to do about it. I followed my concerns through though and went to see Tom. I knocked several times at his door, knowing he was home as his car was in the driveway and, eventually, he answered the door.

Tom looked terrible, his hair was all over the place and his clothes were rumpled, not the guy I knew who was a bit of a neat freak. Once we sat in his lounge Tom was obviously struggling to say something as he was clenching and uncleanching his hands and he appeared very worked up with signs of a terrible internal battle written on his face. I waited for Tom to find the words and when he did, he informed me that he was going to commit suicide that very day!

Now, it was my time to be speechless as I had no idea things had deteriorated to that stage but we talked for hours about what had been going on for Tom and eventually he got help that day. Obviously this was a very low time for Tom although he did get better and ,with support, he was able to get back to his old self while enjoying his interests.

One of the best things that can happen to any guy is finding the right lady and she was great for him and it was wonderful to see them hand in hand. “Cheryl” knew what had happened previously but with all of the supports Tom had around him and especially with Cheryl’s love for Tom, well, he just shone!

The last time I saw them, they were getting married and starting a life together which was great as I’m a sucker for a good news story. Perhaps it appeals to the romantic in me. J

 This article isn’t about Tom and Cheryl though; it’s about being in the right place at the right time. It’s also an encouragement for you as, because of your work you are making a difference, each and every time you work with your clients. Who can know for sure what could have happened if you were not there, working with people with such high needs.

I would encourage you to think over the times in your life when you said a kind word in season, listened to someone who was struggling and cared enough to meet their needs. Think too of what could of happened if you were not there to meet that need at that time and be encouraged.

In our busy working life we often forget the little kindnesses that can make a person’s day however who can forget the look of surprise on their face when we offer praise and a word of encouragement. May we look for opportunities to encourage those around us.

Kind regards,

Gerald.