Today our local (Charleston, SC) morning news was ablaze with stories about yesterday’s events on the Ravenel Bridge. The commentaries regarding the event and ensuing traffic malfunctions ran the gamut from sympathy to anger.
Yesterday afternoon I received a call from my son who explained that he was stuck on the bridge and that it appeared that”someone was trying to blow himself up”. As any parent would, my immediate thoughts where for the safety of my son. As time passed it became clear that this person (probably) did not intend to hurt anyone else. This was (and is) a person in a great deal of emotional pain.
Consider that most of us, at some point in our lives, have endured great emotional pain without resorting to suicidal ideation. The thought may have crossed your mind but you where able to work though the problems. Perhaps talking to a family member or trusted friend helped you get through a though time. Maybe you sought professional help. What if, during a stressful time in your life, you felt like you had no one to turn too?
Events such as those that occurred yesterday are avoidable.
As the events of the afternoon continued to unfold I was thankful that the person in that car was not my son, my daughter, my wife, a family member, or a friend. I learned though social media that he is however, a friend of a friend. He is a member of our community.
My hope is that all of you, when faced with difficulties, will seek help. If you know someone who appears to be in crisis, do whatever you can to help them. Perhaps you might think it’s not your place to get involved, but consider that you might be saving someone’s life, or at the very least, a major traffic malfunction.
If you or someone you know is in crisis call 911 or National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
For a list of helping agencies visit:
http://www.tricountylifecoaching.com/ "helpful links"
