As with so much of the news lately, we have heard about kids killing themselves over bullying, having a different sexual orientation and depression. It pains me to read the stories and see that those who have taken their lives have lost hope.
I have been open about my moments in the dark, feeling hopeless and wondering if things would ever get better. And I have also experienced losing people to suicide, which probably made a huge impact for my whole graduating high school class.
We lost a great guy, who was extremely funny and kept my English teacher on her toes. It came as a shock towards the end of junior year because no one saw it coming and really, in a somewhat small town, the belief that something like this could happen was far from anyone’s mind.
I also lost a friend just last year to suicide; a sweet kid that I grew up with in church. Depression had gotten a hold of him and I can only imagine that he thought that dark tunnel would never end.
And an interesting conversation, if I can even say that, came a few years ago when an old co-worker of my dad’s was part of a murder-suicide. His wife knew he was very ill and that she was getting up in age, so she did it.My mom discussed the situation with me, shared with me the touching moments at their funerals. But. . .
Yet I wanted to scream, at each of the instances, that that isn’t the way to deal with things. In my mind, I would rather fight through those horrible times than go this route. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings because I understand what it feels like to feel like the whole world is against you, that you can’t do anything right but for me, and this is just me, suicide is taking the easy way out.
I don’t understand how some people can be so cruel to others, cannot fathom what goes through those kids minds when they think there is no hope. Of course, no one really knows the whole story.
I saw M as a guy who had it all in high school, the class clown always willing to get a rise out of the teacher, well liked and loved by many. B really came into his own once he left our hometown and was a dare devil. He jumped out of perfectly good airplanes. . .
As I have said before, I take medicine that keeps my panic attacks under control. I also have friends that question me for taking a pill a day. They may think that that is taking the easy way out.
I read the other day on an etiquette website that a family was bullying another family all because their kids were not invited to a birthday party. They harassed them, made fun of the dead mother and the dying child. The mother of the bullying family apparently mentioned during the television interview that she had hoped the harassment would chap the grandmother’s @ss.
And yet we all scratch our heads wondering why some kids are mean to others? While there is no hard and fast answer when it comes to helping those who have lost hope, a random act of kindness or even a smile goes a long way.
It made me feel better when I was in that stupid boot when a random stranger would smile, make a comment or even say they would be praying for me. We all have our bad days but taking a moment to stop and smile doesn’t cost us anything. And when we see someone being made fun of or maybe different from us, taking the time to just be nice to them could be just what they need.
And for those of you who might be experiencing that deep, dark hole, well, it sucks, I am not going to lie. BUT it does get better. And who knows, what you learn from it might just help someone else that ends up in your shoes.
Stumbling Through Life 