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Suicide Has a Face: Learning to Offer Hope

As a survivor of suicide, there is nothing that makes me recoil worse than hearing, “Sometimes there is nothing that you can do, if someone wants to kill themselves then they will find a way.” The speaker is talking about some abstract, undefined person–not my son. Gratefully I have not heard that too many times, but I have heard it. I have not had the strength to respond until now, not out of condemnation, but out of a desire to offer hope and healing to deeply wounded souls and educate those that desire to help.

My son wanted to live! Everything he was doing, everything that he was planning for was to live a long life. Ironically I’d have to say that I would have fit the above statement better than Jonathan. I made repeated attempts on my life, he made one. I am still here because there were people who never stopped offering me hope in little and big ways, no matter what I might do.

That is the thing, the above statement always comes after someone takes their life. I believe that the speaker is trying to understand something too horrific to ever comprehend. Suicide is not something that we will ever be able to stuff into a box and say, this is what it is! I left no note, Jonathan left a note, some suffer from physical causes, others depression. Our suffering may be different, but the one thing that we all need is HOPE!

Don’t ever stop offering it to me, to those around you just because the task seems daunting or impossible. God is a god of the impossible! Jesus saw our suffering and mourned with us, brought healing, and hope to those that others claimed were without redemption. I will cling to that hope, because in my darkest days it is my sunshine.

4 responses to “Suicide Has a Face: Learning to Offer Hope”

  1. Mom of 3 says:

    Oh how I understand this post. Thank you for sharing this. Lifting you up in prayer.

  2. bkmoore, your words are strengthening and courageous as always. Thank you for your transparency and for giving US hope you dear soul.
    -Chris

    • bkmoore says:

      Chris, thank you so much.

      I was thinking today, we have a tangible chance to change depression and suicide through our refusal to remain silent. Offering hope to just one person is so worth it. One person at a time may seem slow at first, but I believe in multiplication!

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Family Q & A: How Each Grieves With Hope

 

Want to learn how a step-parent might grieve? A mother? A sister or brother? The Moore family gives insight into differences in the grieving process and how you may be able to support someone who has lost a friend or loved one.

Suicide & Prevention Hotline

National Suicide Hotline

If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call the National Suicide Lifeline at 988 or go to the website at https://988lifeline.org/