saved / one shot
one song could change a life forever- anonymous
. . .
In a small town, on a rainy day, a young man tried to end his life. His sister found him unconscious in his room and immediately called 9-1-1. The paramedics rushed to the rescue and revived the lost boy. He gradually woke up and was flustered with parents and siblings scolding him and crying, asking him why he tried to kill himself.
Tears were streaming through his vulnerable face. He had no words to describe his actions. Why did he do it ? His motives ? His beliefs ? Why would he do this ?
The confused teenager blacked out. He tried to reason himself, tried to find a purpose in life. But sadly, he couldn't find any. He was not only confused sexually, but emotionally as well. He was disgusted with himself, God knows why. He was such a good boy, nice and honest. He was good looking as well. His parents cared for him, but the boy couldn't see it. He was stuck in a spiral of lies and deceit.
He was hopeless and wanted a way out. He couldn't live with himself, knowing the horrid guilty feeling he held himself on. He was so lost, so confused. Somebody should've talking to him, someone should've noticed his gloom mood.
His family decided against it. They were the typical perfect family. They didn't want to cause gossip around the block. The young man knew if he came out... he would be the family's dirty secret. And there was no way in hell he would become the disappointment.
He tried to cover it up, to lie to himself. He tried numerous techniques in order to change his orientation. There was no use. He then started surfing the net and read chat board comments about homosexuality. Some were disgusted by it, more were simple ashamed of it. Others were calling it a mental disease and most were agreeing that homosexuals should be shunned of society.
Slowly, but surely, he started to believe all of it. His head was filled with lies and ignorance. He stopped eating, stopped sleeping and eventually, stopped breathing.
The young boy woke up in a hospital bed, with his best friend next to him. His friend's face was tinted red and his eyes were blood shot. He got up from the chair and sat beside his lost friend.
"Why did you do it ?" He choked out
"I had to, there was no other choice" He muttered. He shook his head and then shouted "I don't want to be like this. Fuck, I hate this. Why me ?! I'm disgusting."
His friend cut him off "This is all my fault... I should've..." Tears were pouring out, his breathing clogged up.
"I'm still here..."
"Yeah, but for how much longer ?" he spat. His best friend then bolted, grabbed his Ipod and handed it over to his confused friend. "Listen to this."
"But, I don't want..."
"Just listen" He gave him both earphones and sat down on the chair, waiting for some kind of reaction from him.
The boy carefully listened, once, twice... and by the tenth time, he'd found some kind of reassurance. The lyrics moved him... and in a distorted way, he knew there was hope.
. . .
A couple of years later, the young man bloomed into an adult. He came clean about his beliefs and went on with his life. As a grown man, he was proud of his sexuality, a far call from where he was just a couple of years ago. He chose to hold conferences twice a year, for confused teens.
He took a deep breath and straightened his tie. With a boost of confidence, he came to the mic and started explaining his whole story. As he pronounced the first few words, he then made it clear that he was just as lost and troubled as they all were.
"I was completely alone, isolated from the world. I tried to kill myself. I wanted to be gone forever... I didn't think I belonged in this world... but then, I listened carefully to this one song. Such a powerful work of art. And you know what ?" He held a long pause, glancing at all the curious, vulnerable faces in the room.
"This song saved my life"