We could never tell

Last Saturday we had a visit with to my hubby's family farm where his relatives usually gather for special occasions. We attended a 72nd birthday celebration. People were happy seeing each other after a long time. The people gather according to their ages and you can see the happiness while they were having conversations.

Then just last Wednesday, we heard the news, one of my husband's nephew, 18 years old who was with us last Saturday committed suicide. It was really unbelievable, their family is a picture of a happy family, they often go out to have a family time. They love to travel, they love adventures. I was not really certain for the reason of the suicide, I will not ask as a respect to the grieving family.

I could never imagine the pain of the parents seeing their child in that situation. The one that saw him hanging was even his grandmother who celebrated the birthday last Saturday. I then recalled our last memories with him, we went to the river with my kids, they were busy playing with their dog and he walk in solo in the river banks. He liked to be alone that time.

This incident then made me realize that we could never tell what really a person is feeling inside or what he/she thinks by just looking on them. Sometimes people hide their real emotions when they are with many people, they are battling depressions on their own and when they can no longer handle it, they can resort to the worst action of ending their own lives. The triggering factors might not be in the family, it might be in the external environment.

If you are in this situation right now, please know that God is there to help you, he will never leave you and that ending life is not a solution. Please know that there will always be someone who will be willing to listen.

If you are a person who feel that someone needs listening ears and helping hands be that someone ready to listen and help in a way you could. You could be the instrument to who will make someone's perception to life to change.

If you are a parent check on your kids. Let them feel that they are loved, they are important and teach them to fear God and value life. Pray for them and be their refuge in time of distress.

These are my random thoughts in the dawn time. With the many news of teenagers ending their lives because they are bullied, because they feel less loved. It also my fear for my children. It is my prayer that we can train them to be strong, kind hearted and able to express their emotions rather than keeping them on their own.

10.7.2022

MizLhaine