Finding the light in the darkness

Those lucky enough to have been born in Taos County or who have found a place here during the course of their lives know just how special this part of the country is. We have the mountains, the rivers, the acequias, the spectacular views and opportunities to hike, ski, hunt and fish that all of those beautiful surroundings provide.

If you happen to forget, it’s easy to be reminded by the wide-eyed, amazed look every tourist seems to wear on their face as they walk through town. On the other hand, it might be tempting for locals to adopt the same sunny, utopian view most travelers probably take home with them. Anyone who has been here for long enough knows this place is more complicated than that. There’s darkness here, too, and like Taos itself, sometimes that darkness also dwells in the people among us, who, at least on the surface, seem to carry the brightest light.

When people like this die tragically, we all seem to feel it on some level, but perhaps especially here in Taos, however close or tangential our relationship to the person in question might have been. Maybe you ran into them at a restaurant or in the grocery store at some point. Perhaps you noticed a familiar face at the gas pump, but never got the name to match with it. That “six degrees of separation” rule? Surely there must be a few less at play in a county of around 32,000 residents.

But the same reason that tragedies in a small community seem to hit us all a little harder than in a large metro area is also the reason why our ability to rebound from those tragedies should be more powerful. Sure, we’ve had our quarrels and it’s possible to become isolated. There’s been blood shed on this land throughout history, and yet, Taos is still here, and by dint of how small our population size remains, there is a bond among us that large communities do not share.

All of this is to say that if someone out there is suffering, we as your neighbors are here for you, even if we’ve never spoken before. This newspaper, being a community newspaper, is, too. Reporters often talk to people in the immediate aftermath of tragedy, and they’re here to tell your stories, and that means really hearing you.

Beyond that, there are free professional resources available to help you as well, with people on the other end of the line whose job it is to talk to people who might have found themselves in the same dark place that you might be.

NEW MEXICO CRISIS AND ACCESS LINE: 1-855-662-7474

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE: 1-800-273-8255

AGORA CRISIS CENTER: 1-866-HELP-1-NM

VETERANS CRISIS LINE FOR THOSE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING: 1-800-799-4889

POSTPARTUM SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT WARMLINE: 1-800-944-4773