It still hits, you know, even after all these years. It still hurts dealing with suicide. A young lad with a young family and, you’d think, with everything to live for.
On July 15th 2024 he decided life was no longer for living. He took himself out into the woods near his home whilst family and friends and colleagues searched frantically. They were desperate to find him. I wonder what desperation he felt at the time when he decided oblivion was preferable to life.
I have felt low before. Powerless, impotent, as if the entire world and everyone in it was against me. I’ve fought the black dog and won. In those times when I felt there was only darkness I remembered my children. And I remembered how precious life is. If you’re a living breathing person on planet earth you’re a fluke. You’re a cosmic accident. A one in a trillion chance and one in six billion lucky enough to experience this crazy thing we call life.
There’s to phrases or sayings which I adhere to. I don’t know who said them first.
The first is “every day above ground is a gift,” and the second, “growing old is a privilege denied to many.”
We’re not here for a long time so it’s important we make every second count. I don’t ascribe to theories of an after life. We have just one shot at this. Make the most of it. Life brings so many opportunities.
Whatever it was which gave this young man the opinion that life just wasn’t worth living, I just don’t know. I just hope that he’s found peace.
