When Tragedy hits close to home

Dear Friends, 

Suicide is something that I hear a lot about, read a lot about, and as a health care professional, know a lot about... or so I thought.

CDC Suicide Statistics

But when it actually happens to someone you know and care for, it all seems surreal and truly just breaks your heart. Not only for the victim but to the family as well.

Yes, I took a break because this tragedy that has befallen one of my best friends family hit us so close, that as friends and parents ourselves, we were just so shaken and heartbroken...

I never thought this could happen to anyone we know, let alone, anyone we love, but it did.

It could happen to anyone.

All I could do was Hug my friend and hold her hand...

source

.. there wasn't anything I could say or do to make her feel better.

All I know is that I wish I could take some of her pain away... just some... but I knew I couldn't.

I felt helpless for my friend.

source

All we could do was listen, show our support and just be there.

On our second night of mourning, I shared this prayer I saw on the 

Huffington Post by Rabbi Joseph Meszler to our Catholic Priest friend, 

who eventually shared it with all of us...

Let there be no whispering, no secrets here:

Our hearts are broken.

_____ took his own life.

And even though it might appear 

that he died by his own hand,

no one does this without great, coercing pain,

inner suffering that seems to have no end,

even though we wish 

he knew that no agony is forever.

Source of compassion, help us to cry out loud,

to hold each other gently,

to live with unanswerable questions,

normal feelings of anger and guilt,

and this gaping hole of loss.

Help us to reach out to others who are suffering,

to show them our love, to say the kind word,

and that this is not a choice we condone

or is worth imitation.

It is hard to see the divine image in the lives of those who suffer.

The sun sets and rises.

We put one foot in front of the other.

We hold our hearts in our hands.

We lift them up to You, God of eternal peace,

and to each other.

Help us live each day.

Amen.

I hope and pray that none of you ever need this prayer.

But I do hope that with this very sad and tragic incident, we will try to be more open and aware about the signs of suicide, depression and other  possible mental illness, and that we may prevent this from happening to someone we know or love - all it may take is a word or two or even a hug.

SUICIDE PREVENTION CLICK HERE
CDC PREVENTION STRATEGIES HERE

Lastly, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR KIND WORDS to me and my friend when I posted about this BREAK. I will show this to my friend too someday and hope it adds on to some comfort.

Sincerely,

VEL