"Suicide Note" (Don't worry, it's not mine or anything)
I was told once, "A suicide note is a sign that someone wants to be stopped before they go through with it"
I've come to realize that that is just untrue. Sure, it could be true, depending on the author of the note. As with any situation, it's a possible situation. But it's not always true. I think more than someone wanting to be stopped it's a sign of someone who had a lot to say, but no one was listening. It happens to almost everyone: You're speaking to someone, and you finish an entire statement, and the person you're talking to says "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening. Could you repeat that?" There's a difference between "I couldn't hear you" and "I wasn't listening". Well, once in how many ever of these situations occur, there's the person who can't deal with it. They want, need to be heard. So they realize, that no one in this shitty little piece of existence is listening to them, and they decide that they don't want to deal with it anymore. They write out whatever they have to say, whatever they have to admit to anyone who wasn't listening, and they end their lives. Now they've got your attention, but it's too late. If you'd listened the first time, maybe they would have had a chance.
And of course, this isn't the reason for everyone who writes their final goodbyes before they take their own life. Some people really do want to be found out and stopped beforehand. Some people want to make you feel like shit after they're gone, they couldn't find a way to hurt you their life, but maybe in their death they can. But there still exists the people who are just fed up with being ignored. Of course there are other, more interesting things you can spend your time on instead of listening to them. Read a book, play a game, watch a show. But sometimes, all that one lonely kid needs is an ear who is actually listening, who actually cares what's being said. Not an apology and an "after the fact credit".
Pay attention. Listen. If someone has the urge to tell you something, sit down, shut up, and let them tell you. Maybe it'll be trivial to you, but it could mean the world to them. Maybe it's trivial to them too, and it really was just a waste of your time. Maybe it saves their life. Maybe it's the deepest confession they have to offer. You'll never know if you don't start listening.
I've come to realize that that is just untrue. Sure, it could be true, depending on the author of the note. As with any situation, it's a possible situation. But it's not always true. I think more than someone wanting to be stopped it's a sign of someone who had a lot to say, but no one was listening. It happens to almost everyone: You're speaking to someone, and you finish an entire statement, and the person you're talking to says "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening. Could you repeat that?" There's a difference between "I couldn't hear you" and "I wasn't listening". Well, once in how many ever of these situations occur, there's the person who can't deal with it. They want, need to be heard. So they realize, that no one in this shitty little piece of existence is listening to them, and they decide that they don't want to deal with it anymore. They write out whatever they have to say, whatever they have to admit to anyone who wasn't listening, and they end their lives. Now they've got your attention, but it's too late. If you'd listened the first time, maybe they would have had a chance.
And of course, this isn't the reason for everyone who writes their final goodbyes before they take their own life. Some people really do want to be found out and stopped beforehand. Some people want to make you feel like shit after they're gone, they couldn't find a way to hurt you their life, but maybe in their death they can. But there still exists the people who are just fed up with being ignored. Of course there are other, more interesting things you can spend your time on instead of listening to them. Read a book, play a game, watch a show. But sometimes, all that one lonely kid needs is an ear who is actually listening, who actually cares what's being said. Not an apology and an "after the fact credit".
Pay attention. Listen. If someone has the urge to tell you something, sit down, shut up, and let them tell you. Maybe it'll be trivial to you, but it could mean the world to them. Maybe it's trivial to them too, and it really was just a waste of your time. Maybe it saves their life. Maybe it's the deepest confession they have to offer. You'll never know if you don't start listening.