Life: Version 2.0 » suicide

AFSP Out of the Darkness Walk – will you help me to prevent suicide?

Susan — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 01:08:23 +0000

Tomorrow morning, I will be joining hundreds of others for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Out of the Darkness community walk.

It’s a short walk — only six miles (nothing like the 20 mile overnight dusk-till-dawn walk I did last year (see the video on my blog – link below).

Those of you who know me well understand that this cause is near to my heart, as I lost my mother to suicide when I was 21 (she was only 48). I also lost two childhood friends (brothers) to suicide, and just this past spring, my son tragically lost a high-school colleague as well.

There is still time to donate! I am asking all of my friends and colleagues to support this cause. To do so, please go to: http://tinyurl.com/5h4nzb

You can also read my full blog post about this and take a peak at the AFSP video.

walking (again) to prevent suicide

Susan — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:59:10 +0000

I decided to participate in another AFSP Out of the Darkness walk this year – on October 11th. It’s one of their community walks, only six miles (nothing like the 20 mile overnight dusk-till-dawn walk I did last year – see the video below).

So I formed a team named “Lumos” – all of you Harry Potter fans will understand what that means (it’s the magic spell for ‘light’).

If you would like to donate or be part of my team, please go to: http://tinyurl.com/5h4nzb and sign up.

Now why didn’t I think of that?

Susan — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:05:07 +0000

I have been trying to figure out for years why I am rendered completely useless when it comes to making certain decisions, yet I can be insanely successful in other areas of my life.

It’s no secret to those close to me that I have been unable to make progress and make decisions about certain things -

Here is a conversation I had today:

Why have you been unable to make a final decision about moving forward alone and to follow your dreams?

I have no idea, I am just so confused. I feel paralyzed.

What would it take for you to make a decision?

For someone else to do it for me.

When you were in college and moved out of your moms house to move to DC, and she was very angry and made you feel very guilty about it – what made you strong enough to do it then?

I just knew it was something I had to do, and the decision to follow my heart was very strong. At that time I had faith that everything would work out for me and her.

What happened then?

She committed suicide one year later. Ever since then, I have had the “compromise my life dream” just about every night of my life, where in the dream I have decided to move back (while she is still alive) to ensure her happiness, while sacrificing my own.

Duh? I get it.