Recently, local radio station WKYS stopped the music and opened the phone lines and asked children to call and discuss bullying.
The panel consisted of the radio host, a school principal and a doctor all of whom offered encouraging words and gave these young kids a platform to speak their mind.
And then the call from the courageous 16-year-old girl came in. She confessed that she had come out and told her mother she was a lesbian and that she was not receiving the emotional support she desired and she felt suicidal.
The rush of empathy kicked in from the panel instantly. The doctor said what many need to hear: “We don’t want to take our life; we want to take the pain away.”
Actor and musician Ray J then came on the microphone to show his love. This young lady was heard and the conversation continued off air to connect her with the assistance she needed.
As we approach the holiday season, depression will kick into the lives of many teens and adults. One of the callers who called into the show was a teacher who shared that some of the kids considering suicide were as young as elementary students.
If you are considering suicide, find someone you can talk to such as a teacher, a parent, a doctor, a hotline. Keep talking and talking and talking until someone hears you.
The solution to continue life is not to end it. Know that you matter and your life has an absolute purpose. Be willing to believe in yourself and find out what that purpose is.
For more information about preventing suicide, please visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Michelle Bond lives in Woodbridge and often writes about her son, local living and about all of life’s other interesting curiosities. You can connect with her at [email protected] and on Twitter @1Coffeebreak.
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