Wednesday night i heard news that filled me with supreme sadness. A young lady in one of our local schools committed suicide. I have mentioned in the blog lately that there appears to be a huge cloud of depression in several of our local high schools.
I am not completely sure what it is that is creating the whole massive depression at this particular point in time. It is not just one or two schools in our area…it seems to be many. This tells me that we have conditions that are promoting a loss of hope…students in large numbers don’t feel there is a reason to go on. This is creating violence against each other and against themselves. It has to change for the better.
I know that depression can be chemical, and i also realize that it can be based on situations. But for it to appear so all emcompassing to such large numbers of people at the same time…is epidemic to me.
This very young woman…was a senior. She had a lot to live for. She had skills and talents. She had a community of family and friends. Just the week or two before she died she had created a list of goals. She was on her way to accomplishing many of them on the list.
The devastation to her family, her friends and our community is strong. They had to hold her funeral in the local school gym. It has touched many who didn’t even know her. I am just sorry that another life was lost.
We really have to learn to “listen” to each other, watch body language, be aware of “situations” going on in each others lives, and yes, even be suspicious when someone’s emotional temperature changes. If someone is down and suddenly becomes light and happy; or the opposite is true….time to intervene.
Don’t worry if someone will be upset for your interferrence…you might just save a life. Maybe they will thank you later…maybe, they will never talk to you again. So what? They will still be living and breathing.
We need to get involved and show some caring. The youth group leaders , parents, teachers, clergy need to show up to schools and pray with the kids…spend time supporting them in their activities…meet their friends…observe the emotional climate in your schools. What are they like?
We read about tragedies in the schools everyday. It is no longer just happening in some school out of sight…out of mind. It is happening in our own back yards.
Write where you are 
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