Apr. 22, 2006 ~ Suicide
There has recently been much talk among some of my online friends about suicide... the nature of it, and the sadness and pain it causes family members and friends. Several, who have lost loved ones to disease, have mentioned how angry they are that someone could throw away the precious gift of life. All these feelings I understand, having lost more than one family member to suicide.
But there are other, less recognizable forms of suicide, and that's what I'd like to talk about today. First, if you have the time, you may want to
check this out.
The subject of this entry recently died, broken and totally alone. Well, not "totally" alone, as there were several dogs in his house. He'd been dead for some days, and the dogs were there trapped in the house with him, and... you understand, right? No need to go further. When I heard the news, I felt no sadness for his death, or for the circumstances in which he died. Almost every person who knew him, upon hearing that he was gone, said much the same thing, and the nicest way to describe it is that they felt relieved. You may think we're all cold and unfeeling, because the man was mentally ill. He was, but he also had a large number of guns, and threatened to use them, and many people truly feared him. People were afraid of him, physically afraid, and are happy that they no longer have to feel that fear. I'm not sad that he died, but I am sad at the way he lived and wasted his life. I have known few people more miserable and unhappy.
It may have taken a while, and it was a slow and painful way to die, but it was suicide all the same. He rejected all offers of help and would not help himself. Hospitalizations, group meetings, nothing did the trick. He was determined to do himself in, and he finally succeeded.
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