Suicide. 

Life, taken away in one of the worst ways possible.  To take your own life…  It’s like taking every dream, every hope, every possible moment of happiness and joy and throwing them into the fiery rubbish bin. 

The ways may vary, be them overdosing drugs, hanging, stabbing, drowning, or something else.  But the end results are as identical and damning as could be.  In real life, death is permanent.  Your time on earth ends with the last thought in your head, the last breath in your lungs, the final beat of your heart.  Life is not a video game. 
And suicide is not a joke.

I have been a witness to those going through tough times, where life seems like a straight path going downhill and suicide seems the only option.

I have known some who have been molested or raped, some that have lived a bad life at home, some that have been told that they do not matter in this world.  There have been some who have been bullied at school, in the workplace, at home.  They all find this awful belief that they only have a single way out.

They believe that suicide is the answer.  The only answer.
But it is not. 

In the end, sometimes we can remember the good times that have passed and even the good times to come. 
In the end, sometimes we can see the truth of the matter- you can determine what you do with your life.
You will have to work at it, though.  You will have to work harder than you ever have before, will have to push your limits, then push harder. 

And harder. 
Until you fall down. 

Then you will have to pick yourself up again, have to keep going.  You will have to do this again and again. 
But you will succeed.  You will find your life changed, will become the person you wish you could be.  But you will have to take that first step, and work at it.  You will be one of the 3,025 people who attempted suicide. 

And lived.

However, there are those of us who do not see this reality in time, that face a reality fed by lies told to them by others, that do take that awful leap into the abyss. 

They commit suicide.  121 people a day in the US alone. 
121! 
That means a 121 mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, friends, neighbors- all of them die by their own hand.  That means the dreams and opportunities of more than 121 people are destroyed.
Every. 
Single.
Day.
And it could be anyone you know.

Who knows, maybe you are one of these people who have fallen upon this deadly thought process. 
Maybe you are contemplating taking that step, that irreversible step towards the darkness.  Maybe you don’t know how to deal with your problems any other way.  Well, I have few other solutions for you.

Talk to someone, be it your parents, friends, siblings, teacher, counselor, police officer, or someone else you trust.  You might feel awkward about it, but trust me, it feels so much better in the end to not bear the burden alone.  Who knows, you might not even have to broach the subject; sometimes it’s enough just to talk, just to have the comfort of knowing that you have someone there for you.

You don’t have to do this, though, if you don’t want to.  I can’t force you to.  So here is something else.  It helps sometimes to get your feelings and emotions out there somehow through art or writing.  For some, joining an online support program and talking about your problems, or even just listening to the things others are going through, can help.

But if none of these help, I have one more thing.  Know that I care, and that I don’t want you to die.
Please.
Don’t do it.
Not just for me.
Not just for you.
So please.
Don’t do it.