Life often leads us to situations in which, little by little and unintentionally, we withdraw into ourselves: an argument, our own certainties, our ego, or our fears.

But sometimes, it's enough to pause and ask a simple question, made up of simple words, to glimpse unexpected possibilities for change: "Who are you to me?" or, in other words, "Who am I to you?" Questions that, as Margaret Karram says, open the way to concrete actions: "take the first step, listen, spare no time, allow yourself to be touched by the pain."[1]It's obvious: if we think about others, we're not thinking about ourselves, or our weaknesses, failures, or wounds. Thinking about others leads us to put ourselves in their shoes, in an attitude of reciprocity: "How would I feel if the other person told me the same thing I'm telling them?" or "What can I do for them?"

If our actions are born from a desire to prioritize the well-being of those around us, everything can take on a greater dimension, to the point where we can tell the other person we love them freely and without expecting anything in return.

But sometimes, discouragement, frustration, and exhaustion can overwhelm us. American physician Ira Robert Byock says that the most desperate moments arise when one feels imprisoned in "a cage of rage, fear, and mistrust."[2]In these moments, let us surrender to the all-powerful power of love, which frees us from our bonds and encourages us to begin again without fear. This is how the musical group Gen Rosso expresses it in one of their songs: “Starting over is like saying yes to life again, then freeing yourself and soaring toward limitless horizons, where thought has no fear. And seeing your home become as big as the world. Starting over is believing in love and feeling that even in pain the soul can sing and never stop.”.

An attitude of this kind can lead to personal change, but also to a community change, when we share our anxieties in sincere and constructive dialogue. In this climate of true friendship, we can rebuild a social fabric that replaces anger with reflection, fear with the search for new paths, and mistrust with hope. We will become a symbol of a new way of building society.

Sometimes, really, a simple word is enough:
“You are important to me… because you are you!”

[1] M. Karram: “Prossimità” – 2024.
[2] in: The Economist – The 2015 Quality of Death Index. Ranking palliative care across the world.