On Suicide

Suicide is a illness. It is not a sin.

I went to a Catholic church recently.

The pastor over there gave a talk on suicide.

And, that is what he said: 'Suicide is a illness. It is not a sin.' That's not to say that anyone of you out there reading this should go out and commit a 'illness'.

Anyway, he likened suicide to 'emotional stroke'. According to him, suicide comes about as a last straw for the person when he or she as reached their wits' ends. Sometimes, it may be as simple as a loss of a relationship.

He then added on that for those of us who have lost a friend due to suicide, not to blame themselves for the misfortune, as the person commiting the act had deliberately chosen a right time and place where no one was around to commit the act. So, instead of thinking what could have been, such as 'Could I have shown him more love and concern?', accept that fact.

According to him, he said that the amount of love and concern that is lavished on one person, has no consequence whatsoever on a person's well-being or mental state of mind. Meaning that one could have been the recipient of much TLC, but still has suicidal thoughts on their minds.

He then went on to read out the letters of people's prayers.

According to my friend, there are many whom wrote in saying that this weekly church session has saved them from the evil claws of Death or Depression. There are one a many who have found renewed hope and vigour for life after attending the session every week. Then, there are those who might not even have been alive by now, had they not attended the weekly sessions.

So, anyway, the pastor read out one of the thanksgiving letters, which went something like this.

"Dear Mother (Mary),

My husband and I have been married for a long time and we have been trying for a child, only to be met with failed attempts and much disappointment. During one of my prayer sessions here, I prayed to you to bless us with a child. And, true enough, after some time, my husband and my attempts at trying for a child were successful and I became pregnant. I hope you will continue to bless me and my child, and I pray for a smooth delivery.

Your dearest daughter,

XXX"