If you were to ask me about A Stitch in Time, about who we are and what we do, I could share the stories of the last 6 years. I could show you photos, notes and letters, tweets and tagged media from all walks of life, people choosing to have honest conversations about their questions and their struggles and their pain. I could bring you along to primary schools, high schools, universities and conferences, sporting clubs, organisations and judicial systems, to all the places we go to talk about hope and help, to let people know they’re not alone. I could introduce you to our program facilitators, our AMAZING volunteers, the board, who wake up and do this work day after day. If you have an hour, I could spend an hour telling you all the things we do and dream of doing. If you have a day, I could spend an entire day.

If you were to ask for all of it summed up, one dream above the rest, the heart of the matter in a sentence or a word, I would offer this:

Stay.

Our dream is that people who are struggling would choose to stay.
Our dream is that you would choose to stay.

If you stay, it changes everything. Because if you stay, you leave room for change. You leave room for things to get better. If you stay, there’s still time to be surprised.

And if this one word were to move you, if hearing stay inspired you to ask for more, I would tell you it’s okay to be honest, that you can say your pain out loud. I would remind you that people need other people, that you were never meant to live this life alone. I would tell you that you’re worth whatever help you need and that help is the step after stay.

I would encourage you to talk to a professional, because I've seen them help so many people. I've seen them help our staff and our volunteers, our friends and our families. I would tell you about my own struggles and how using therapy has helped me.

And I wouldn’t simply say stay and tell you to get help. I would talk about the why as well. I would ask about the dreams inside of you. I would ask you to stay for every future joy. For the next event you’re going to love, the best concert you haven’t been to yet, that love story you’ve been waiting on, the kids you have or dream of having.

Stay. Find what you were made for.

So I'm asking you to break the silence and to help me spread the word. I'm asking you to help lead this conversation. If you are asking how, ask me how you can help, ask how A Stitch in Time, how we create that conversation, how we can help convince someone to stay

Stay and rest.
Stay and fight.
Stay and see things change.
Stay to love and be loved.
Stay to be surprised.
Stay to live your dreams.
Stay. Find what you were made for.