Unsettling late night text
Immediate call back
The phone rings
Only bad thoughts race
Why isn’t she answering?
What is she doing?
The phone rings
It is so late
Why isn’t she sleeping?
How quickly could I be there?
The phone rings
Click. Silence.
Hello?
Why didn’t you answer before?
Are you OK?
I was worried about you.
I care about you.
You are important.
You are important to me.
Do you want to talk?
Do you want me to come over?
I love you.

© 2018 Jason A. Muckley

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Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

1-800-273-8255

Today is the World Suicide Prevention Day for bringing awareness to rising suicide rates here in the U.S. and abroad.

This is a serious, life-threatening problem affecting people and countries all over the world.

In my poem here, I show the perspective of the loved one, the friend, the spouse trying to reach the one in pain, suffering from loneliness, depression, hopelessness, contemplating if they want to live on in light of their current situation.

It is a scary place to be as the loved one, unsure of that other person’s status, not knowing, not being able to get a hold of them, and feeling hopeless themselves. In that place, my advice would be to keep calling. If that person has an issue with you because of something you said or that happened, enlist another friend or family member to get involved to call or go check-in. Get in your car and go them. Tell them you love them. Talk about how they are feeling. Talk to them about why they feel like they don’t want to live anymore. Try to get them to go see a counselor they would feel comfortable talking to about what’s going on and how they having been doing.

Let me just say it if you are listening: there are always many reasons to live. There are lots of people who care about you, love you, and would be affected if you were to take your own life. Don’t do it. Please. For all of us who care about you, don’t do it.

I hope everyone is having a great Monday.