Wednesday; January 22


          Suicide is one of the most uncomfortable topics in our society.  Death is never pretty, but when it is self-inflicted it can add a layer of uncertainty and, with some surviving friends or family, a sense of shame or guilt.  While suicide is an individual decision made by a person with the ultimate power over their own body, there are some things that can be done by outsiders to assist a potentially suicidal person:
1.  Listen – Most people who attempt or complete suicide give clues to the seriousness of their struggles.  They may be very obvious, but often they are much more subtle.  The keys are personal involvement in the lives of others, a perceptive nature and the ability to effectively communicate with the people around us.  Communication at this level doesn’t start with the ability to “talk them out of their choice”, rather it is the ability to “listen for indicators of their struggles”.
2.  Presence – I do know of a few cases where people have taken their own lives with people around them, but more often than not suicide is a private choice made when the individual is alone.  (Who knows, maybe this feeling of loneliness or isolation might even add another reason to their choice.)  While I would never tell anyone to put themselves in a position of imminent danger, one of the most effective anti-suicide strategies is a ministry of presence – just being there is quite a deterrent.
3.  Help – If we know someone who is contemplating suicide the best alternative is often getting them immediate, professional help.  Does this mean they will need to see a mental health professional?  Probably!  Could this mean they may need to be taken to a medical facility against their will?  Maybe!  But, which would we rather live with … an uneasy feeling that someone doesn’t like us because we intervened or the guilt of knowing we should have done something, but didn’t.
          We may not be able to help solve everyone’s problems, but when we care enough about people to try to make a difference, our world will be a safer place – for them and for us.
Think About It!

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday; November 29

The biblical story of the Good Samaritan has changed our world. Notice I didn’t say that it had change religion or even Christianity, it has influenced the world. There are very few people who don’t know the moral of Jesus’ parable about the Good Samaritan. In fact, the phrase has become a common description of everyday people doing good to their neighbors. While Jesus’ parable from Luke 10 shares several spiritual lessons, one of the most practical is that good can be done by anyone. You don’t have to be a church official to do good, it is not only possible for each one of us to help, it is required of all of us. If a Samaritan can be good, so can we! After presenting the parable, Jesus asked the man who had originally asked the question about being a good neighbor which character in the story was a good neighbor, “… he said, ‘The one who showed mercy toward him.’” at which point, the discussion from theoretical to personal, “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do the same.’” (Luke
Read more

Thursday; January 12

The other day I was watching a television show that used a rather common term applied to overcoming challenges. When organizations experience unexpected setbacks – especially when they lose key people – they rely upon the concept of “Next Man Up”. In essence, when our starters (or stars) go down, effective organizations rely upon their next levels to step into the vacancy. While this is an effective response, have we given much thought as to how we prepare to be the “next people up”? First, we must know our job. Even when we aren’t the primary players, we need to be preparing ourselves to be ready when we get the opportunity to shine. Second, we must do our best when we get the chance. Knowledge is important but what turns potential into talent is effort. Yet, maybe the most underappreciated aspect of this concept is a willingness avoid excuse-making and whining about the unfairness of our situation. When we complain about the circumstances that caused the need for replacements
Read more

Monday; September 25

When I was a youngster, I remember hearing about this thing called the Generation Gap. I was a little bit too young to be active in the social movements of the 1960s, but I do remember listening to the challenges the generations were experiencing way back then. Interestingly, now that I have been on both sides of the aging process, I have to admit that the Gap of the 1960s was nothing new. With the development of each generation comes conflict. The young people don’t feel like the older people understand them and the older folks tend to believe their input is being underappreciated. Too often trust is the casualty when two generations collide. The sad thing is that it doesn’t have to be this way. When we can capture the innovation and energy of the younger folks and harness the wisdom of those who have been around for a while we can develop a winning combination. No, we won’t always see things eye-to-eye nor will we necessarily speak the same emotional language, but when we app
Read more