Do you know what it feels like to lose a loved one, an acquaintance, a friend to suicide?
The question of what is it that I could have done or often said times eats away at your very soul. Mind you if you, if you experienced this situation, just know it’s not your fault.
When I ask you: “How are you doing?” I want to know. I know that often when you hear people say ask this question, they are doing so as a formality. Many times, folk will ask you this in passing, with the expectation that you take it as a greeting and not an invitation to expound about how you are feeling.
When I ask people when they come to our class how they are doing, I get mixed responses. Some people will say hello or fine; some will say you don’t want to know, others will tell me what they are actually feeling or dealing with and then apologize for sharing. If you know me, you know that I want to see how you are doing. You never know if the next words you say to that person will speak life into them.
I’ve been known to stop in the middle of instructing a class to listen to someone crying in the parking lot and, if they are receptive, offer insight. The reason is that everyone’s life is essential. #suicideawareness #suicideprevention
