PROSE – FFFC
Fandango asked us to share a flashback. Two years ago, I was thinking hard about mental health. I was wrestling with how to speak openly about something that affects more people than we’re often willing to admit. The stigma is real; unfortunately, that silence—that collective reluctance to talk—is part of the problem.
But I’ve also learned that standing on a soapbox hollering about PTSD or anxiety doesn’t always help much either. Yes, we need awareness. We need voices and visibility for what’s become a growing crisis. But awareness without connection can fall flat. Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do isn’t a speech or a post—it’s simply being present.
Being the friend who checks in. The sibling who listens without trying to fix. The stranger who offers compassion without judgment. That’s how we start to chip away at the shame. That’s how we show each other we’re not alone. And sometimes, that quiet presence speaks louder than any headline.
Memoirs of Madness 