From the corner of my eye, as I gazed out of my window, I caught sight of a man perched high above, his eyes fixed upon the ground below.
.
Concerned for his well-being, I couldn’t help but question the motive behind his solemn contemplation.
.
For a good ten minutes, I maintained a watchful eye on him.
.
His actions seemed to follow a distinct pattern, a rhythm of sorts.
.
He would gaze down, as if peering into the abyss, and then drift into deep contemplation.
.
Moments later, he would return his gaze to the depths below.
.
It was a perplexing cycle, one that begged further investigation.
.
What thoughts occupied his mind?
.
Was he grappling with a deep sense of despair, pondering the abyss that lay before him?
.
Then, as if responding to a silent signal, something shifted in his pocket.
.
With a sense of purpose, he retrieved his phone and held it to his ear.
.
His lips moved as he whispered into the device.
.
Though I couldn’t hear his words, I could almost lip-read his message, “I’m coming.”
.
Moments later, he stepped back from the edge of the towering structure and began to walk away.
.
A wave of relief washed over me, and I couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
.
In that moment, I couldn’t shake the thought that perhaps he had been grappling with a peculiar phenomenon, known scientifically as the “High Place Phenomenon” (HPP).
.
It’s a psychological inclination to contemplate jumping from elevated surfaces, an eerie dance with gravity and the unknown.
.
In the Yoruba culture, there’s a more vivid and striking term for this phenomenon: “Edi.”
.
It encapsulates the complex emotions and thoughts that grip an individual when standing at life’s precipice, contemplating the leap into the void.
.
As for the person who answered his call, he may never fully grasp the significance of the moment.
.
The simple act of reaching out, of being there to say, “I’m coming,” may have been the lifeline this individual needed.
.
It’s a reminder that in life’s darkest hours, a small act of compassion can make all the difference.
.
In a world where we often struggle to understand the burdens others carry, the “Edi” moments of life serve as poignant reminders that compassion and connection can be the strongest forces that keep us from taking the leap into the unknown.
