My friend had a son who dealt with lifelong depression that led to an extended period of dependency on prescription medicine. He needed a place to stay to clean up and to give his family space away from him for a while. I invited him into my home where he stayed for nearly 3 months. He slowly came out of his depression and kicked off illegal prescriptions and was able to integrate into my friendship circle and activities. He needed friends, he needed activities, he needed a personal faith, and he needed a distraction from himself. Depression, for some, is a lifelong disease, but he was able to lessen its hold by engaging in new relationships and learning other ways to cope with his situation. He found faith and a relationship circle that would be with him when he wasn’t feeling well.

I realized that if there was room in my heart, there could be room in my home. I was able to use my house to help others transition out of a difficult situation and into a better one. I grew to understand the complexities of others in need and found joy and purpose in helping those who are vulnerable.