THE GIFT Read Free Page B

positive in their life, a reason to remain.
    “What about friends or family? Do you have anyone to talk to?” Amanda pressed on.
    “I have friends, but not that I can talk to about this. They would think I’m crazy and blow it off completely,” he told her quietly. The change in his volume told her that he wasn’t alone and someone was near.
    “What about family? Do you have a family member you are close to?” Amanda asked.
    “I guess. My older sister and I aren’t very close, but she’s been visiting during all of this,” he said, still being very quiet.
    “Is your sister there now?” Amanda asked.
    “No, she lives in Brooklyn, but is out of town a lot. She stops by as often as she can,” he said softly.
    “It sounds like you really love your sister. Do you think that you could perhaps sit down with her, tell her how you are feeling?” Amanda asked.
    “I think she knows. I mean, she’s seen what has been happening. Everyone knows how much pain I am in, but I just haven’t felt like talking about it. I just want to be with her,” he said. His voice was almost a whisper now.
    Even after all this time, it cut Amanda to the bone. She had been where he was. The pain was great and a part of you did just want to die, especially when you were left behind to suffer your own fate. Even her best friends hadn’t been there for her, they had spent weeks in intensive care. Two of them had eventually been released with only scars to remind them of the horrible accident they had barely survived, but Jane wasn’t so lucky. She would spend the rest of her days in a wheelchair. Life just wasn’t fair sometimes.
    “I know that you are in pain and it seems that things will never feel better, but they will. I don’t think that she would have wanted you to just stop living because of her. What you have to do is make a decision to not let this define you. Talk it through with your sister and don’t leave out your friends. Even if you don’t feel you can talk to them, they can give you other outlets to manage your pain. Do you have any plans with them to do anything?” Amanda asked.
    “No. They are going skiing in a couple of months, but I told them I didn’t want to go,” he said.
    “Could you maybe reconsider that and get out of the house for a while? Get some fresh air and see how things look through a refreshed pair of eyes? It will give you something to look forward to through the hard days that I know will come. You might even spend some time with them in the interim so you don’t feel so alone in this,” Amanda told him. A voice inside her head told her that she should be so lucky herself, but she pushed it away.
    “I guess I could do that,” he told her. His voice was a little louder now. It was a sign that he was at least considering that he still had things to look forward to in his life.
    “That’s great. So, first you will talk to your sister and then you will contact your friends?” Amanda confirmed.
    “Yes,” he replied, sounding a bit stronger.
    “How are you feeling now? Do you still feel like you want to be dead?” Amanda asked.
    “No. I mean, I still feel really bad, but I guess I haven’t really tried to do anything but wallow in self-pity,” he told her.
    “I think you are going to be fine. Just keep pushing forward. I want you to promise to call back if you start feeling like taking your life. Will you do that?” Amanda asked him.
    “Okay. I will be okay. I have just been so down and didn’t know how to get back up. I already miss her so much, but I know she wouldn’t have wanted me like this. Thank you,” he said.
    “I’m very glad to hear that. Let me make a few suggestions before we hang up. Please make plans with your friends and family as much as possible. You will heal much faster if you don’t give up the life around you. If you see that you aren’t getting what you need from them, then take it to the next level and visit a counselor. We can recommend several in