THE LIFE YOU SAVED
Thursday June 28, 2018
Why?
Why not?
Do, or do not?
In recent days we’ve been inundated (we need reminding) by news coverage. Suicides, reasons for suicides and a whole lot of mourning and remembrance. Two celebrities down. Lots of hand-wringing and gut-twisting by those who were close, by those who ‘never saw it coming’ – amid media frenzy of promoting 1-800 numbers to dial if you are in trouble. That well intentioned focus, in my view, is not focused on the right things.
Those who need help aren’t calling out for help, aren’t dialing 1-800. Their warning signs aren’t so obvious.
So, who knows?
Who sees?
We all do. We all see our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues, our staff, our bosses – we see them often, see them daily, know them well. OK, maybe not well enough, but close enough often enough to notice if something is wrong, something is amiss, something doesn’t make sense …
Those are warning signs of something. Might just be a warning sign of ‘having a bad day’ or rough week. But we are the watchdogs, we are the ones who see these people often. We can touch, we can talk, we can pry, probe and dig …
If not us, who?
Oh yes, ‘promote healthy living’, exhort everyone to have beautiful, positive and productive lives …
Seriously, how can you tell?
People who are depressed, people who are wanting to exit from life - are they sounding an alarm, showing warning signs, begging for help? Often, yes. But they aren’t wearing signs.
What if you see a sign, and you are wrong?
What if you saved their life, what then?
Reader feedback:
PROMISES, PROMISES
Is this today’s reality? I feel for you. Been there got the t Shirt!!! Cheers, HA, Calgary, AB
Hi Mark: Thank you for sending me your article. It was well written and interesting. Hope it gets sorted out. When there is more than one player, everything gets more complicated. Coincidentally, I had a similar experience recently, on a personal level. Enjoy your day, SK, Nanaimo, BC
