When Death Sits Beside Us

This afternoon, while scrolling through TikTok, I saw a video that asked: “If death sits next to you in a bar and says, ‘finish your beer, it’s time to go,’ what will be your response?” At first, it looked like just another random post. Pero when I read the comments, I realized it was something much deeper.

People answered with honesty. Some said they were ready to go because they were tired of life. Others begged for more time, a time to raise their children, to see their baby grow, or to finish promises they made to their family. A few even joked, but behind the jokes was pain. Reading those words made me see how many people in this world are carrying heavy problems. Some are so sad that they don’t even want to live anymore.

Life is not easy. We all go through struggles, money problems, family issues, health battles, heartbreaks, loneliness. Sometimes it feels like the weight is too much. Sometimes we feel like giving up. But what I saw in those comments is that even in sadness, people still hold on because of love. Parents want to stay for their children. Partners want to stay for their families. Even when life is painful, love gives us a reason to fight for one more day.

And sometimes, you also think: many people depend on you, so you need to continue living. But at the same time, you ask yourself: “Who will I depend on when I am down? Who will help me when I don’t know what to do anymore?” That question is real, and it shows how heavy life can feel when you carry everything alone.

Yesterday, I had a coffee date with a special friend. He shared his story about what he is going through right now. He told me he doesn’t know if he can still rely on his family, because he doesn’t feel their understanding or support in his struggles. Listening to him made me realize that many of us feel the same way, sometimes the people we expect to be there for us are not, and we are left wondering who we can lean on when life gets too heavy. I told him: “Hold on, because you have promised yourself to be better, and you owe it to yourself to keep fighting for that promise.”

My realization is this: problems and sadness are part of life, but they don’t mean our story is finished. As long as we are here, we still have a chance to love, to hope, and to change something. Maybe tomorrow will not be perfect, but tomorrow can still bring a small reason to smile.

So to anyone who feels tired: you are not alone. Even if death sits beside us, maybe the best answer is: “Not yet. I still have something to do, someone to love, and a reason to stay.”

And when you feel like you have no one to lean on, remember this: the answer is to rely on God’s strength. People may fail us, even family and friends, but God never will. In our weakest moments, He carries us. In our darkest nights, He is the light. When we feel like giving up, His love reminds us that we are never truly alone.