I spent the last week in New York City, and having not been there in over twenty years, was happily overwhelmed by the noise, hustle and bustle. It is so vibrant — a welcome contrast to sleepy San Diego, and the street art is amazing as well. I could spend hours walking and adrift in the flow of people who all seem to have uncanny guidance radar as they navigate the busy sidewalks and traffic. It was like being a part of a perfectly choreographed production — everyone knows exactly which way to go, or not, most of the time.

Wearing the standard black coat and boots, I felt as though I fit right in.

I even had time to walk The High Line, a public park and historic freight railway line refurbished and beautifully landscaped and adorned with incredibly cool seating areas. I highly recommend doing this if you are there.

This trip to New York was devoted to sharing my story in a larger forum by connecting with (and learning the ways of) the media. I have added yet another layer of learning to my life and am mildly amused by what I have gotten myself into with this notion of writing a book.

I spent three days “pitching” my story, a pitch being the elevator speech that encapsulates the entire story in just about thirty seconds. It seemed impossible in the beginning to reduce everything that has happened to a mere half a minute, but I did, and what resulted were amazing conversations with other human beings who happen to be media people. That is really what I am doing — trying to start a conversation out there and create an open space for healing.

I continued to be inspired by this axiom: storytelling is powerful medicine.

Four years ago, the word suicide frightened me and pretty much anyone I mentioned it too. Now, I find that almost everyone seems to have been touched by it and, instead of the awkward silence I used to encounter, I feel a willingness to lean deeply into the conversation and learn more. People are listening with compassionate curiosity.

Each time I stood in front of a different media person, I had to gather my wits, take a deep breath and begin anew. I consciously surrendered my heart to the moment so the information could land as gently as possible, like a parcel of love and not an assault to the senses. Within each pitch, I had to allow time for them to acclimate to my subject.

Telling it over and over was a bit exhausting, but equally exhilarating, and each person shared a new insight or deeply moving personal story. There were a few tears and I lost count as to how many lives had been touched by suicide. The kindness and generosity in the room filled me with hope.

The main thing I wanted to share with you about the week is this: if you think you are alone in your struggle, you are not. Pain and loss are pumping through the veins of every human beside you. Emotional discomfort is a global epidemic and I want to encourage you to mobilize the resources you have within to cultivate your own healing, and then avail yourself of the incredible power of storytelling.

Gather your courage so you can begin rewriting the script about your loss and allow the essence of healing to begin pumping through your veins. Healing is a bandwidth you have to reach for – never underestimate the power of connection to help you get there.

Sending you parcels of healing love.

-db

Who is Dianna Bonny?

Hi, my name is Dianna Bonny. It’s my mission to candidly share my journey with you. For me, it’s all about the healing: to create a radiant healing energy for others who have befallen a similar fate. Together, we can forge beautiful lives of belonging and connection. Thanks for joining me today! I look forward to hearing from you.