He found Solace in the darkness and Silence

Dear God,
The person sitting on the bed is slumped over, staring blankly at the wall.
The room is dark, and the only sound is the faint hum of the air conditioner.
The walls are bare, and the only decoration is a single, sad-looking plant in the corner
The curtains are fully drawn and you could smell the stale and sweat of the room.
Outside, the sun shone its bright lights on anything that stood or moved.
The wind tried relentlessly to push the trees and anything with wings to fan the universe
And trees tried desperately to keep the sun away from its shades.
Despite the blazing sun outside, he found solace in the darkness and silence.

People moved around all over the compound.
Some bantered, laughed, and shouted at each other.
Children screamed and shrieked all over the place.
Time after time the ball they were playing would hit his window with a loud thud.
Parents clamoured around, busy with the evening dinner, answering the phones so loudly
But up in the room on the second floor, he lay quietly, alone and ignored.
And he found solace in the darkness and silence.

He hasn’t moved in hours, except to take a sip of water from the glass on the nightstand.
Many have tried to reach him. He is a jolly good fellow.
He is everyone’s friend. He would help you if he could.
He never believed money was for keeping if it could serve a need.
His phone is on the bed next to them, but he hasn’t checked it in days
It rang until the battery died, he didn’t bother to charge it.
He didn’t want to speak and laugh.
He just found solace in the darkness and silence.

He had been wearing the same clothes he had for a week, and he was a mess to behold.
His moustache has overgrown his mouth, and his hair has given itself a natural dreadlock since no one will care for it.
He found no joy in the things that usually gave him joy.
He is not hungry, but he is not full either. He is just…empty.
And when he tries to think, his head hurts.
So he embraced the solace in the darkness and silence

Suddenly, his stomach growls violently, and he realizes that he hasn’t eaten anything all day.
He gets up and shuffles to the kitchen, where he finds a half-eaten bag of chips on the counter.
He absentmindedly munchs on the chips as he stares into space, watching the world move on without him.
He wonders if anyone else is feeling as lonely as he is.
He wonders if anyone else is eating chips for dinner.
He wonders if anyone else is wondering about him.
And if anyone else found solace in the darkness and silence
As he finishes the last chip, his tummy growls again and he realizes he is still hungry.
He has not eaten any real meal for days, and his tummy won’t take no for an answer.
He opens the fridge and stares inside, hoping something reasonable will jump out at him.
But there’s nothing there, except for a half-empty carton of milk and some soured food.
He has not stocked up for weeks, he has not left the room for days.
He closes the fridge and goes back to the bedroom, where he curls up under the covers and tries to forget about the hunger.
He closes his eyes and imagines 1000 ways to die.
What is the use? Even if he dies now, no one will know, and no one will care.
He curled further into the covers, nestling into the depth.
He tried very hard to blank out the world that had hurt him so.
For he has found solace in the darkness and silence

Father Lord, this is the story of someone depressed in a lonely room.
It’s not a happy story, but it’s a story that needs to be told.
You are the Lord that sees all things, knows all things and hears all things.
You hear their silent cry for help.
You see the fight to overcome the cover of darkness
And you know how much it hurts them.
Please reach out to everyone struggling with depression, please reach out to help.
May they know that there are people who care about them and want to help them feel better. Please, Lord, uncover the darkness and let them know that they don’t have to go through this alone.
They can find solace in the light and the peace of your love.
This is your daughter and I am checking in.