Ah! Darkness…sigh! You just don’t know how to leave people alone, do you? The things that we tend to avoid are usually the ones that keep chasing us – and darkness is one of those entities. It is such a strong influence that even our own shadows tend to leave us in its presence.
And it seems as though it has caught Aaron Lennon in its fangs. But let me tell you something, Aaron: You are not alone.
If you feel like the weight of the world is too much for you to bear; you are not alone. If you feel afraid to be profoundly happy because you fear an impending tragedy; you are not alone. If you feel like you are hurting the people closest to you; you are not alone.
If you feel like a disappointment regardless of how many people smile because of you; you are not alone. If you are constantly under the fear of losing the people you love the most; you are not alone. If you have everything you ever wanted and yet you feel numb inside; you not alone.
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Trust me, Aaron, you are not alone.
Yes, there are people who believe that mental illness is a myth. Yes, there is always a constant line of thought that makes one believe that nobody really understands what a mentally ill person is going through. Yes, there is an excruciatingly painful place where a mentally ill person is adamant that nobody really cares.
But there is always hope. Always.
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to make people believe that he doesn’t exist. However, more and more people are now aware of the devil that consumes the mind with harrowing obscurity. With each passing day, with more victims in the list, the demon loses his status as a myth.
He is very real. He is all around us. He is within us.
And we know. Trust us, Aaron, we do. Even if it might seem like we don’t, we do. And we also know that as light kills darkness, hope can also slay this demon.
There is a disturbing sense of nihilism that mentally ill people exude. What’s the point of life? Why does anything mean if we are all going to die someday anyway? Does anything even matter?
I honestly do not have a definitive answer to those aforementioned questions, but what I do know is that on the darkest of nights and the dullest of days, when someone smiles because of something you did, that smile—for you—has the effulgence of a thousand Suns.
Here’s the thing: on the grandest scale of things, nothing might matter, but in the very present moment; everything does.
Every little run that you made down the right, every little cheer that you got for it, every second of hope that it instilled in the hearts of the fans… it matters, Aaron. You gave people hope, you gave them joy, you made them dream.
In a world like this, I guess it is safe to say that you—Aaron Lennon—are one of the few people that has done all the things that have been mentioned above.
Just switch on the Television and a world of despair awaits. Images that make us question about Humanity are the driving force of news today. Take the remote, change the channel and it is still the same thing.
Tick, tick, tick, tick…the channels keep changing, but the story is still the same—it is still bitter, it is still dark.
And then, suddenly, from nowhere, comes the ray of light.
Aaron Lennon is running down the right-flank, outpacing opponents like they were a bunch of turtles. A cross in, a headed goal. The fans clench their fist in elation.
Suddenly, all the darkness is gone, all the pain is forgotten. All that remains at the very moment is nothing but pure ecstasy.
That is you, Aaron. That light and ecstasy, that is you. You have been the reason for a great many moments of joy for a lot of people. Don’t let this darkness get the better of you.
And you know what? Just remember: You are NOT alone, we are with you.
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