Take the Time

I have heard about a couple suicides recently and it always deeply saddens me. When I was in 8th grade a very close friend of mine committed suicide. I remember the day like it was yesterday. Death impacts us no matter who it is or how they die. But for me his suicide was the hardest death for me. The loss feels greater because he chose to leave this earth, he chose to end his life. I think teen suicide is the worst because as a teen you do things so impulsively. You don't think things out, you just act. I think so many teens would change their minds if they just spent a little more time thinking about it before they did it. I remember being so devastated when I got the news my friend had committed suicide. You are left with this feeling that you failed them, that you should have done more, said more. Even though you aren't responsible, you feel responsible. And that feeling just never goes away. 

Yesterday I got word that my step-nephew committed suicide. He was just 15 years old. He had his whole life ahead of him, and he was feeling so bad about his life that he decided to end it before it was really started. I wasn't close to him because of the miles between us, but many members of my family are deeply feeling this loss and therefore I am as well. I know how they are feeling. And I feel helpless because there is nothing I can do to help them. I can't imagine wanting to die before you have had a chance to live. I pray each night for God to allow me to live on earth as long as possible so I can feel like I lived a full life here before I die. As I am praying to live, there are others like my friend and my step-nephew that are praying to die. 

That is why it is important to not get mad at the person that cuts you off in traffic, or bumps into you in the grocery store. That is why it is important to wave and smile at others even if they don't look happy or interested. That is why it is important to tell others how much they mean to you or compliment them on something. Hug them tight and take time to listen to what they need to say. Take the time to visit and touch base with others you care about every day. Facebook helps to make that easier to accomplish than we ever could before. You never know when that one smile, wave, or kind word might make someone that was contemplating death want to live another day.