Category Archives: Suicide

Death & dying, Family, Suicide

No One Laughs at God

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That September morning, a boy awoke excited. He was about to become a teenager. He was the eldest of his generation in the family, and he was thrilled to be the one to break this ground. Just two more days and his life would change.

He had no idea. None of us did.

It was during first period at his middle school that he was pulled out of class, along with his twin brothers in the grade below. It was probably at the same time that I got the call from my parents — his grandparents (he is my sister’s son).

His father had been found dead.

There was a letter.

This September morning — today — that same boy is again awakening, this time with an odd mixture of excitement and loss. He is about to become a man. In two days he’ll be eligible to vote, he’ll be invited to register for the draft, he’ll have all the freedom and responsibilities that go with being 18.

And he marks five years finding his way without his dad. With his own resilience and the support of family and friends, this young man can finally say:

I feel content
I feel at peace
You’re so close to me
Even though you’re out of reach

Jake, my nephew, (center, with his brothers) has been grieving and healing in fits and spurts for five years now. Whereas my therapy is blogging; his is rapping. Today, he releases his latest creation, No One Laughs, with haunting backdrop by Regina Spektor. I am honored to share it with you. (Safe for Work version.)

Have a tissue box ready for the ending.

Consider this my love note to Jake, Ben and Ross today. I love you boys with my whole heart, and my love extends to everyone who has contributed to making you you.

Happy birthday, Jake.

Death & dying, Suicide

Time Warp Tuesday: Left Behind

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Let’s see…which ultimate demise shall I choose  — “by one’s own hand” or “eff-ing cancer”?

I’m talking about my options for Time Warp Tuesday, the monthly blog hop offered by Kathy at Bereaved and Blessed. This month’s theme is Left Behind, and our assignment is to find an old post tells what it was like to live on after the death of a loved one. And then to write a new post explaining why I chose that post and what has happened in my life since. Continue reading Time Warp Tuesday: Left Behind →

Perfect Moment, Suicide

Perfect Moment Monday: Second Wind

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This weekend we four suited up for a cause. We participated in the Second Wind Fund Walk/Run/Ride to benefit suicide prevention. We ralked (wan?) in memory of a family member and of my husband’s student.

(Should anyone want to retro-sponsor us, here is where you’d do so.)

I’ve had some dark times. In the past I’ve considered a permanent solution to what seemed to be a permanent problem.

But here I was on this beautiful end-of-summer day. Walking with the children I feared I’d never have. In tandem with a man I thought I might never meet. Using my very capable body to do all that I do, the same body that for years I acknowledged only its betrayal.

I texted our accomplishment to my parents and sisters, whose love for me during my entire life has been as firm as the earth and as infinite as the heavens. Roger, Tessa, Reed and I munched on delicious homemade goodies at the finish line and enjoyed people-watching, dogs, magicians, Clifford.

And I wrote this blog post in my head for you, my friends who share a passion for reading and writing and living.

Walking, loving, creating, eating, moving, connecting, breathing. Being alive is just so exquisitely perfect.

~~~

You know that dilemma that writers have? The one about being able to share their stories without revealing too much about other people’s stories?

Yeah, that.

I may or may not have experienced an additional perfect moment here.

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Perfect Moment Monday is about noticing a perfect moment rather than creating one. Perfect moments can be momentous or ordinary or somewhere in between.

Once a week we engage in mindfulness about something that is right with our world. Everyone is welcome to join. Details on how to participate are at the bottom of this post, complete with bloggy bling.

Please visit the links of the participants at the bottom.

Here’s a perfect moment from my week. I hope you’ll share yours, too.

To participate in Perfect Moment Monday:

  1. Between Sunday night and Tuesday night, write up your own Perfect Moment in a blog post, on Twitter, on Facebook, or simply leave a comment below.
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  4. Visit the Perfect Moments of others (from the links below), and let the writers know you were there.

Once you make a Perfect Moment post , you may place this button on your blog.

What Perfect Moment have you recently been aware of? Be sure to visit these moments and share the love, and please come back next week (click to subscribe).