ALL lives matter.

My Son Daniel came home for dinner on Sunday and he told us this story.

“This happened recently, I was in Fred’s car he was giving me a lift to work, as he drove over the motorway bridge, we noticed a man standing on the bridge looking over onto the traffic below, his car was to the side of him, I said to Fred, “He looks like he is going to jump,” Fred replied, “I was thinking the same thing,” I said, to Fred, “Shall we go back and check?” Fred said, “Yes,” So at the next roundabout he turned around and in a short time we arrived back at the place where the man was standing.

As we got closer, we realized it wasn’t a man but a woman. We approached her with caution and I asked her, “What is your name?” She said, nothing. I then said, “My name is Daniel and this is Fred,” Still she said nothing. Fred and I looked at each other, and I said to Fred, “You carry on, and come back for me in a bit.” Fred left.

She was still staring at the fast-moving traffic below, I said, “Are you OK?” Still, she was silent. But I’m not called Daniel for nothing, I don’t give up, that’s not me. I got a bit closer to her and said again, “Are you OK?” Without taking her eyes of the traffic below she said, “I’m depressed,” It was a start, I said, “What are you depressed about?” She said, “I am a lesbian, and my Partner has just left me, I have nothing to live for now,” Daniel said to her, “You have everything to live for, think of your family and friends, how they would feel if they found out you jumped,” There was no expression in her face, and Daniel continued, “The next Partner you have, the right one for you, you could meet her next week or next year.” Her mind was not made up as she continued to stare at the traffic below us, I said, “You do not want to do this,” She said again, I am depressed,” Daniel said to her as he too looked over the bridge onto the fast-moving traffic, “To be honest with you, this bridge is not high enough to kill you, if you jump, you would break your back, and the you would spend the rest of your life depressed and in a wheelchair.” I wasn’t going to leave her like this, here we were, different sexes, different ages and different cultures. Her precious life mattered! Many saw us, as they sped by on the bridge looking over the motorway, all too busy, going who knows where.   

It was with great relief, after a few more encouraging words including, “Tomorrow is a new day,” She moved away from the side of the bridge, looked at me and got back into her car.

Fred arrived five minutes later, and I got in and told him all about it, we were now very late for work.

“I don’t know if our paths will meet again, I just hope I have given her enough things to think about.”  I said, to Daniel, “I’m very proud of you,” He said, “It was my good deed for the day,” I said, “It certainly was.”