Why
is it whenever someone loses a loved one to suicide, people feel like they have
the right to question everything? My heart aches for families who have lost
someone to suicide. For example, Robin Williams daughter had to ask the public
to respect their privacy…people make all sorts of allegations. Kay Warren has
been open about the hurtful things people have said to her after the death of
her son. I remember my blood boiling when people would ask, “Did you have any
idea Michael was going to kill himself?”
What
kind of question is that? If I suspected, then am I to blame? If I had no clue,
am I at fault? The guilt. The shame. It
was often so heavy it threatened to swallow me.
Trust
me from personal experience. When you lose someone to suicide, you tend to
replay every word spoken over and over again, searching for clues, for anything
you might have missed…blaming yourself for not knowing…shaming yourself over
your inability to prevent the suicide. We do not need others to throw stones.
We do enough of that ourselves --- we assault ourselves with accusations and
allegations, searching, hoping desperately to find some sort of answer…anything
to explain WHY.
I
have seen a multiple posts on Facebook recently attacking a family who lost
someone to suicide. I beg you to stop!
No matter what your personal opinions, families touched by suicide are
hurting and do not need you to inflict further pain.
When
someone dies from cancer, we pray for their families and look for ways to offer
comfort. Why then, do we treat those touched by suicide differently? May we look for ways to offer comfort and
support to all who are hurting without judgment or condemnation.
There
is no condemnation in Christ Jesus…and as his disciples, may we do likewise.
Labels: Suicide