IMHO

-->

One of my friends posted this meme today. It sort of stopped me in my tracks, so to speak. I initially agreed with the sentiment, but after I thought about it for a moment, I felt that this was far too complex of a concept to sum up in some simple Internet meme. Yes, it is true. Suicide does transfer pain to others. That pain is not only given to someone else, it’s given to everyone else who cares about you. It is multiplied exponentially. Suicide is indeed the ultimate act of selfishness. Yet it seems to me that when someone who is close to you has decided upon this course of action, it should give you pause; rightly so. Because this is an opportunity for one to re-evaluate one’s own life and the course that it is taking. Who am I to judge someone for taking his or her own life? I have even considered this possibility on more than one occasion myself. Life can be difficult. Pain, not just physical pain, but emotional pain, can be very hard to deal with at times. Perhaps the choice to “check-out” may actually empower someone who feels they have no other choice. I’m not advocating suicide here; I’m just trying to understand it. When my brother committed suicide I was wracked with pain, grief, depression and guilt. I was paralyzed emotionally for more time than I care to admit here. Even today, after over three years, at times I find myself distinctly saddened by this loss. However, I must state that this experience in my life has given me the resolve to never again consider this as a solution. Life is short enough. My brother’s action has forced me to change my life’s direction. Today, my life is a celebration. Every day I am thankful for the opportunity and the courage to live this life on my own terms. Perhaps my brother, by taking his own life, saved mine. I’m not condoning his choice, I would much rather be celebrating life with him. However, in some way, his passing has actually blessed my life. This may be challenging for you to understand. I’m not really sure I understand this way of thinking myself. I’m not happy that he is gone. But the fact of the matter is, what transpired that fateful evening, and the events that occurred afterward, have given me a certain perspective on the true meaning of this existence. My point is that something like this cannot be summed up in one simple sentence - one Internet meme. Regardless of our current cultural, immediate, and connected electronic society, we must not disregard and equate an inopportune situation and an inappropriate deed into an artless black and white graphic with a sans serif font. This does no justice to our condition as mortal, feeling human beings.