Kindness Starts With One®

RAKtivist: Mallory

One afternoon, my friends and I were painting a banner for our high school homecoming in the hallway but kept having to go inside of the girl’s bathroom to wash off our messy brushes. I noticed a girl standing in the bathroom quietly sobbing to herself. Everyone kept passing this girl pretending she wasn't even there. I myself had spent several years of high school standing in bathrooms around the school crying because I was struggling with depression and anxiety. It triggered something deep within my heart as I saw some of myself in this girl. 

So, despite being a bit shy walking up to a stranger, I approached the girl and asked if she was okay, even though I knew she wasn't. She shook her head no and I told her that she wasn't alone and I would do anything she needed me to, to ease this pain she was in. The school day was almost over though and she had to catch her ride so I gave her my phone number and made her promise to text me that night so we could talk and so she wouldn't have to cope alone. We ended up texting most of the night and the next morning she told me had I not stopped and given her my time she probably would have gone through with her plan and committed suicide. I had no idea as we were standing in the bathroom that she was about ready to take her life and that an act that seemed so small to me made all the difference in her life. It made all those sayings about the power of kindness suddenly seem so true. That day reaffirmed my decision to find work in a field where I could help those struggling with mental illnesses. 

Today I am in the process of starting my own organization called Fight For Your Infinity to bring light to those who can't currently see it themselves. I will continue to fight for those suffering because nobody should ever feel like they aren't cared about. I care. And I will spend my entire life spreading that message. And to the girl in the bathroom, well she still has her life and I love seeing that she hasn't given up.