It is hard to write on a topic that cannot be taken light-heartedly at all. With last week being Suicide Prevention Week, I have felt a calling to write about suicide prevention from the view of a movie. "To Save A Life" was introduced to me my freshman year of high school and since then I have watched it at least five or six times. It never ceases to amaze me in more than one way, but this article is going to focus on what the movie has to say about suicide.
The movie addresses how to get help and how to be help. Their official website extends information on these topics, as well as giving tips for both how to get help and how to be help, focusing on suicide, self-injury, substance abuse and depression.
If you have never seen the movie, I highly suggest that you do, but I will give you a basis of the storyline to be able to understand the rest of this article. A young man named Jake is caught up in the "popular" life of the high school culture, and his life is just perfect until his childhood best friend brings a gun to school and commits suicide. His world is then rocked, sending him into a frenzy of trying to understand life.
A youth pastor shows interest in Jake, and after the pastor picks Jake up from a party, they become friends and Jake starts to attend church. He calls the youth group out on being hypocrites and for not living out their faith and suggests changes for the group that end up bringing them all closer together and start to invite others to come to church and join the things they do as a group.
One of these people that got invited to church is named Johnny. Johnny was online friends with Jake's childhood best friend, and Jake ends up investing in Johnny. Johnny is a young man who struggles with self-injury, depression and suicide tendencies himself, but as soon as he got involved with the youth group he blossomed into a funny, sweet and wonderful guy.
At one point in the movie, Jake lashes out at Johnny from other things that are going on in his life and Johnny ends up getting into trouble - with the law and with his emotions. Jake realizes that Johnny needs help and that it is serious, and he rushes to Johnny's aid.
The end of the movie shows Jake going to college and Johnny hands him a note that he reads later, telling him about how he changed Johnny's life and showed him the worth that he has in God.
This movie is one of my favorite movies because it shows that just one single person can have an impact on another person. One of the tips that the website gives to be help is to live it out. It suggests to make a friend with someone who needs a friend, or to reconnect with a friend that you haven't talked with or spent time with in a while.
I have known a few people that have committed suicide. It makes a mark on anyone that the person has come into contact with - family, friends, people from their past and even people who have a similar mindset.
I'm about to be real cliche, but just bear with me.
SUICIDE IS NEVER THE ANSWER.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a line that runs 24/7 and connects whoever calls to a skilled, trained professional counselor in your area.
Groundwire gives anyone access to a spiritual coach who is waiting to connect with someone over spiritual advice, encouragement, and prayer.
The Hope Line is a resource that also has a coach, but is available through chat or text.
The last thing that I want to address is that anyone should be willing to share their story. Any story is never too small, and it brings encouragement and hope to those who need it.
