I mourn for suicide victims, those people who ran out of perceived resilience and saw no other way. I wish they could have gotten help before that final moment in order to not be lost, confused, and alone, thinking the only way forward was ending their precious life.
This story epitomizes a resilient football player. I honestly wonder whether that father-son pair was even real when he stood at the end of that pier. Regardless, though, I am thankful for them and that we still share this world with Grant Stuard. I believe that we can all be better because of his shared story. Please glean from it what you choose to.
I would be lying if I do not admit that I have struggled in my past with ideations at times. Life can get very challenging and difficult at points. Nowadays, though, I often remind myself that I would not face any tests if I could not handle them. That mindset renews my endurance and resilience to carry on with the burdens that have been placed upon me.
Behind one of my ears, I have a tattoo of a semicolon. I frequently enjoy writing with them; the meaning is even deeper, though. A sentence could be short and sweet; semicolons lengthen these sentences with an entire second half that would otherwise be separate. That is how I and many others view life now. My sentence could have ended many years ago, yet I have extended it beautifully as a result of creative punctuation. I avoided a firm and finite option, opting for an approach that still remains open-ended and unfolding before my very eyes; I feel quite blessed and thankful for the opportunity to soldier on. In addition, I do not want to hide this information out of shame or guilt for low points in my past; I wear this semi-colon on the side of my head proudly in the hope that sharing it amidst a random conversation may provide hope or solace to someone else who may be in need of some light during a dark spot in life. Resilience does not need to be a selfish solo act; we can and should share and support it lovingly among one another.
If you need help, please reach out to a loved one, a crisis center, or a support line. We are surrounded by caring angels who are ready and able to assist us, but sometimes we have to first be truly transparent and vulnerable about our needs to invoke and invite such aid.
Maybe it is wise. Maybe it is dumb. Time will tell.