Arkansas Blog

Our prayers go out to the Beebe family. We cannot imagine the pain the family is going through.

I have been very close to suicide and if not for the angelic intervention of friends I doubt I'd be typing this. I had made the decision and got my to-do list together.

As a result, I got into therapy and on medication.

My therapist had me do an exercise where I called 5 of my friends and asked them them their reaction when I said "You'd be better off without me, so I'm going to kill myself."

I had to stop after 3 because I couldn't bear putting them in such pain.

Now, I'm the person in such pain and despair that I'm ready to die to make it stop, so frankly the rest of the world can just get on and deal with it, but the exercise really opened my eyes to how much I was loved.

Here are some stats for people to chew on:
* Each year, over 30,000 Americans die by suicide.
* An American dies by suicide every 17 minutes.
* Suicide deaths consistently outnumber homicide deaths by a margin of three to two.
* In 2002, twice as many Americans died from suicide than from HIV/AIDS.
* Suicide is the third leading cause of death for those between the ages of 10 and 24 and the second leading cause of death for American college students.

FormerlyKnownAs..., we're thankful you chose to stay and struggle with us to once again return to America, just as we had to do in the late 50's. We will win eventually while you have already won in your struggle.

You keep typing and we will keep reading.

Mike is being tested and I know he can pass this test. I watched Bill Clinton gracefully handle the personal assualts during his mother's death. Now two of the most dishonest people in the state to battle, Asa and preacher Huck. His loyalties are stressful at present. The best we can do is get out the vote for him. I've personally comitted to call fifty people a week between now and election day.
Set a goal and follow it.
_

FormerlyKnownAs--

Thank you for such a poignant post. You've no doubt caused a lot of people to pause and think.

On the same topic, every week I check out:

http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

(or click on my name)

For the uninitiated, it's a blog updated every Sunday that features postcards sent in to the webmaster. Anyone can send in a postcard with any secret.

There is a link to hopeline.com and 1-800-SUICIDE and I recommend everyone take a look.

Some material may be questionable for sensitive viewers.

Thank you, FKA. I will recommend (and facilitate, if I can) that exercise, the next time I encounter someone in that stage of despair. I'll also file it in my own private file, if I ever need it. I'm glad you've decided to stay with us.

I'm also glad there is no political hay to step through here, so far. If anyone tries to make some, he/she doesn't deserve any more sunshine.

My prayers are with Ginger Beebe's grandchildren tonight.
My first husband died when my children were very young, and it hurts them to this day.
Very sad.