Brothers and Sisters of Light — Lighting Designers, Lighting Directors, AV Teams, Touring Techs, Shop Techs, Students, Teachers, Projection Designers, Production Designers, Lighting Industry Sales Force personnel, Product Managers and Product Leads, Electricians, Engineers, Physicists, Photonics Scientists, Lighting Industry Writers, Lighting Marketers, and anyone else I’ve left out accidentally:
We know a lot of people this year who had it kinda rough. We’ve all been on some kind of edge this year, granted there were some pretty fucked up things that happened. No need to go into detail, I think we’ve all lived that enough.
I wanted to write this post to say that this season, some of our brothers and sisters out there need an extra hug, or that simple inclusion in a conversation at catering, or maybe just a pat on the back to say “hey human, I think you’re cool.” Maybe thank someone for something they normally don’t get thanks for, ever. Maybe one among your group has been hitting the sauce a little hard, distancing themselves from the group, being kinda not with everyone else’s wave in the group all of the sudden; that person needs some attention, even just a small bit. You might just save their miserable life and make it not miserable for them.
All kinds of shit happens at the Holidays. While we’re all out there celebrating or working, both are equal most of the time to me, some folks are doing the same in their minds remembering something mind breaking they go through every year. Also, we live in an industry where you have to pretty much maintain a constant level of crazy just to get by, so there’s that.
If you know someone hurting, I’ve posted some resources below. If you’re hurting, call these people. You know why you should bother calling these people, none of whom you know? Because they take these jobs because they give a shit about you. Do you know how much fucked up shit they hear on a regular basis, and come back the next day? The people at these places are there because they give a shit about YOU. As trippy as it sounds, please believe me if you’ve ever believed anything I’ve ever written here before, these people want to help you be happy, even just long enough to take a breath.
One last thing before I post something else that is way happier than this is right now…
I have done a shit ton of traveling over this last six months with Avolites. People of the world… You gotta be nicer to your servers, people who check you into your hotels, and airline personnel. I know some of them really should be doing other work, but you have no idea what value a smile and a polite demeanor has to someone who deals with trash all the live long day. Try making 2016 a year where your order doesn’t actually make someone want to strike you with a cleaver. Seriously, folks, they’re humans too. Don’t be the last asshole who ever talked to them like that.
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline:
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/getinvolved/suicide-prevention-toolkit.aspx
You can call these people 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they are there and ready.
1-800-273-8255
http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/
The Samaritans:
http://samaritansnyc.org/24-hour-crisis-hotline/
(212) 673-3000
1 (800) 273-8255
http://www.suicideispreventable.org/
