The following thoughts I’d like to share with you contain themes surrounding mental health and self-harm. Please read with care.
Yesterday I learned that someone I have worked with for years took her own life. This person was a veterinarian and a practice owner. She has been coming to Uncharted events for years, and gave a wonderful presentation for us at one of our summits. Maria Pirita and I talked about her recently on the Uncharted Podcast and gushed about how we enjoy and appreciate her. She was known for her smile, finding homes for pets in need, and serving her community. She wanted so much to be a great employer and to make a veterinary practice that improved the world.
I don’t have much to say today, but the world and our profession are less today because this person is gone. All I can think is that we never know what other people are going through. We don’t know about their struggles or their thoughts. People, like cats, can be exceptional when it comes to hiding pain.
I have found myself focusing a lot recently on what is right, what is just, and what is true. Today, I am reminding myself that none of those things are more important than what is kind. The world is a hard and scary place sometimes, and we don’t often know what those around us really need. We can be sure that doing what is kind has never hurt, and we never know who desperately needs a moment of compassion when we come across them.
My friend really mattered… to me, to her family, to her colleagues, and to her community. You matter too. If you need help, please reach out for it. If you are doing well, please know that others may not be and lean into showing kindness. We never know who needs it most.
