I almost failed out of high school. I nearly gave in to the deep

Host: The evening was quiet, the warmth of the day lingering in the air as the last light of the sun faded from the sky. Inside a small, dimly lit apartment, the faint hum of the refrigerator was the only sound. Jeeny sat on the worn couch, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her gaze distant, as if lost in thought. Across from her, Jack leaned against the window, his silhouette outlined by the faint glow of the streetlights. The city outside felt distant, but the emotions between them were close, heavy, almost suffocating.

Jeeny: “You ever wonder how many people could’ve been something else, something more, if they’d just had the right people around them?”

Jack: “What do you mean? People are the masters of their own fate. They make their choices, they shape their own destiny.”

Host: Jeeny’s eyes flicked up, and she met Jack’s gaze with a quiet intensity, her voice softer than usual.

Jeeny: “But not everyone starts in the same place, Jack. Not everyone has the same opportunities, the same support. J. D. Vance talked about how he almost failed out of high school, how he nearly gave in to all that anger and resentment. How he almost lost everything. But then, a few people, just a handful, rescued him.”

Jack: “Yeah, but that’s just a story, Jeeny. You can’t depend on a handful of people to save you. You’ve got to save yourself.”

Host: Jeeny’s voice was gentler, but it carried the weight of experience.

Jeeny: “You’re right, Jack. But what if you can’t save yourself? What if you’re surrounded by people who only push you further into the darkness, people who want to tear you down, instead of build you up? How do you fight that alone?”

Jack: “You fight because you have to. It’s about willpower, Jeeny. If you don’t have the strength to push yourself out of the mess, then maybe you don’t deserve to get out.”

Host: Jeeny closed her eyes for a moment, exhaling slowly, as though the words had taken something out of her. She shifted on the couch, her hands resting on the edge of the cushion, her body language open, vulnerable.

Jeeny: “But what if willpower isn’t enough? What if, like Vance, you’re just drowning in your own anger and resentment, and the world around you is just crushing you? Sometimes, you need someone to throw you a lifeline.”

Jack: “And what happens when no one throws it, huh? You just sit around waiting for a savior? I don’t believe in that.”

Host: Jeeny’s voice became more insistent, like a calm storm rising within her.

Jeeny: “It’s not about waiting, Jack. It’s about being there for someone else. Even if you don’t think they need it. Sometimes, just a little kindness, a little encouragement, can make all the difference. Vance said he almost squandered his talents. That’s not just a passing thought; that’s a moment when someone could have helped him see himself differently, helped him believe he was worth something more.”

Jack: “I get that, but you’re saying we need to depend on others to get us out of our own messes? People fail, Jeeny. They fail because they don’t have what it takes to succeed.”

Host: The room grew still, the air thick with the tension between them. Jeeny stood slowly, her eyes searching Jack’s face, her expression softening as she spoke again, more gently this time.

Jeeny: “It’s not about depending on others. It’s about recognizing that we all have our limits. That we’re not always strong enough on our own. Sometimes, love—the kind of love that pulls you back from the edge—makes the difference between losing everything and finding a way forward. That’s what Vance had. He was almost lost, but those loving people gave him a chance.”

Jack: “So, we’re just supposed to rely on others to fix us? That’s a dangerous way of thinking. People need to take responsibility for their own lives.”

Host: Jeeny’s gaze softened, and she took a step back, sitting again on the couch. The city lights outside cast long, flickering shadows through the window, and for a moment, there was a quiet stillness between them.

Jeeny: “I’m not saying we shouldn’t take responsibility, Jack. But sometimes, it’s the responsibility of others to help us when we can’t help ourselves. People like Vance had to face their own demons, but they also needed someone to show them the way. A little love, a little hope, can pull you from the edge of despair.”

Jack: “Maybe. But that doesn’t mean we all need to rely on someone else. I’d rather fight it out alone.”

Host: Jeeny’s eyes glinted with quiet understanding, but she didn’t press further. The moment was delicate, like a fragile thread that could snap at any second.

Jeeny: “I think, Jack, that’s where we’re different. You fight, and that’s admirable. But for some of us, it’s the people who help us fight that make all the difference. That’s what Vance discovered. He had the talent, but he almost lost it. It was the love of others that gave him the strength to keep going.”

Jack: “I don’t know if I can believe in that. But maybe you’re right, in some cases. Maybe a little bit of help goes a long way.”

Host: The silence stretched between them, no longer heavy but quiet and contemplative. The weight of the conversation lingered like a soft echo in the air. The city outside continued on, indifferent, while in the quiet of the apartment, two souls pondered the question of what it truly means to be saved—by our own strength, or by the love of others.