Even though at work I do not hear about truly traumatic life events that often, outside of work, I am not able to take in too many stories of suffering. If I do, I feel as if I am getting weaker and have to stop. Life's regular stress and traumas too get to you.

The most painful story I heard yesterday was a husband's. His wife committed suicide earlier this month, and he doesn't even know why. He heard that she was seen crying at work the day of. He thinks something must have happened at work - that bad. He was feeling guilty and feeling for his wife, feeling all the pain that she had gone through in her life. He only met her 3 years ago.

I just wanted to hug this man.

This amazing man saves the lives of others on a daily basis (not a doctor). I wish I had conveyed something to him of value, to know how much we appreciate people like him in the society and how his pain is unimaginable for me - but I did not want him to feel alone in his pain. He had yet to tell her therapist that she had passed away. My heart was breaking while I talked to this extremely soft spoken man. He had the presence of mind to get some therapeutic support so that he processes it all well.