I’m writing this on Sept. 10, 2015. To some, it’s just another regular day on the calendar. But to others, it is known as Suicide Awareness Day. The word suicide holds a lot of heaviness and is a subject most would rather not talk about. But the thing is, it needs to be talked about. It’s an issue that deserves more attention and it’s up to us to spread mindfulness of this deeply emotional seven-letter word.
There are people who you’ve met in your lifetime who are fighting battles you know nothing about, and those are the same people who put on a smile through the worst of times. It could be someone near and dear to you, or even a complete stranger you brush past walking one day. Internal struggles are more than likely never portrayed in someone’s everyday life, which is one of the scariest things to think about. Although, if you are aware of a loved one who is struggling with anything at all, just let them know you’re there. Never underestimate the difference you can make in someone else’s life, because you never know when they may need that shoulder to lean on.
In July, I attended the grand opening of Jackson’s Garden of Hope in Jackson, New Jersey. This garden is a beautiful sanctuary built in memory of loved ones who have gone too soon. Jackson’s Garden of Hope is funded by Where Angels Play, The Sandy Ground Project. They collaborated with a close friend of my family, who was behind the creation of this garden for people to come together in hopes of finding peace in painful situations. Where Angels Play has also built 26 playgrounds on the East Coast in honor of the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut.
via Victoria Hone
I felt a great deal of emotion while walking the grounds of Jackson’s Garden of Hope. It’s never an easy thing to take in, especially when it’s happened to someone you know. It saddened me, reading all the names of loved ones carved into the ground. It made me hope all the more that no more names would be added, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. The first step to turning this hope into a reality is educating and spreading the severity of the issue. Suicide can be prevented. Talk, read, listen.
You may have heard about Project Semicolon. This project was created in an effort to raise understanding about suicide prevention. I first saw some articles published about it on Facebook, Twitter, etc. and fell in love with the message that it’s continuously trying to spread. To participate is simple; the only thing you need to do is draw (or tattoo, it’s up to you) a semicolon on your wrist. You may be asking yourself, why a semicolon? A semicolon is used when an author could’ve chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. In this case, the author is you, and the sentence is your life.
via http://www.curvemag.com/News/Project-Semicolon-575...
You’re never alone. If you’re reading this right now and you feel as if you don’t have a choice anymore, you do. Your life matters, your story matters; there is going to be someone there to love, help, and guide you in the right direction.
We should never look down on someone unless we're helping them up.
For more information on Jackson’s Garden of Hope, check out their website http://www.jacksongardenofhope.com/.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273- 8255.
Please don't hesitate to spread the word.
