Two years ago, back in the infancy of this blog I wrote about being invited to speak to 100 year 10 students from the local high school – beforehand reflecting on Teen Angst, and afterwards in Before the lions. Well after that terrifying walk into the lion’s den of my old fears personified in the crowded room of teenagers I was a gibbering wreck but glad to have faced it and got it over.
I was invited back last year and it wasn’t so bad, today I hiked with them again (well this year’s yr 10s anyway). Two years of journeying, including some scary Friday night’s at youth club, and now for the 3rd time of asking I could stand in front of them without shaking, still a bit shaky in finding a starting point, but able to speak and my struggles with bulling at school, the depression, the importance of loving yourself and with resources from Time to Change challenged to stand against stigma and be open to talking about mental health and other tough stuff.
Gabi, my big fluffy dog coming along for the exercise helped break the ice and opened conversations too. It was clear that people were listening and affected by what I shared, both teens and staff. Talking about things that are so personal and touch deep vulnerable bits of you is tough, and for the third time round it is in some ways less scary – I know the audience won’t bite – but in other ways still as hard.
Yet the power of the personal story is immense, beyond any statistics or flashy adverts, the story of an ordinary person reaches parts nothing else can. Which is why breaking the silence so we can talk to each other, daring to ask for help and daring to try and understand and support each other, is such an important goal.
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