When No One Knows...

He didn't.

We know because he's still with us.

She didn't.

She told us why.

Yesterday was National Suicide Prevention Day. There's so many National Day this, and National Day that, that--to be honest--I get sort of numb to it, especially when something as serious as suicide is listed alongside such other National Days like National Doughnut Day, or National Left-Handers Day (okay, that last one is kind of cool, but is in no way as important...).

Yesterday, I sort of ignored it.

That is, until I read a social media post from an acquaintance. I don't know if I'll ever treat the day so lightly ever again.

We all know people who have taken their own lives, or people who have tried. Maybe you're one of those people who tired, or have thought about it. I don't know the statistics--I read a post saying suicide is the most common cause of death for males under 45-years old. I'm not sure if this is worldwide, or in the USA. And, if it's true, it doesn't matter because wherever it's true, it's tragic.

The post he wrote, well...it stopped me cold. I've had friends who have committed suicide and I knew they weren't happy. They'd gone through trials in their lives and some seemed to never recover. Then there's the ones who say the person was always happy--no signs of trouble. But, obviously there were.

In the social media post I read yesterday, the acquaintance explained what happened, and how he went from choosing the day he would end his life, and how things slowly got better. I was shocked reading the words--I had no idea. Since we're not close (we don't see each other much, but I've followed his posts on social media for years...), I had no idea how he was doing other than from what he posted. I kept imagining how shocked I would have been had I opened the computer and read about how he was no longer with us, how he took his life. I would have wondered if I could have done something to alter the unchangeable ending.

I would have come up with zero results, which would make the tragedy that much worse.

We live in a world where pain and hate and fear grow and fester in the hearts of men, women, and children, where these traits are many times celebrated and encouraged. It's taking its deadly toll. I'm so glad this person shared their experience. And I hope I remember it more than just one day a year. May we be more loving, more caring, more brave...may those grow in our hearts instead.