Oh what a lucky man he was.

She would not have made it this far if she wasn't. They help, but to a point. And this goes to the point. I have seen her struggles. People with problems like this do have choices. She has fought hard, and suffered much, but she can make the choice to live. And she has made that choice. As extreme as her case is, she isn't taking the easy way out. I am really proud of her for fighting the good fight. 

I remember early on in my life and just after our friends suicide, that my Dad told us that suicide is a selfish thing to do. I was shocked that he could say such a cold thing about our friend. But I tell you, he was right! I lived through the colateral damage of losing him and I am glad that my Dad set me straight on that before I would ever go down that path.

People need to understand the gravity of suicide. In my friends case, I am convinced he didn't fully understand the consequences, and what a tragic waste of his life it resulted in. He could have contributed so much more. He was so smart, a tinkerer. He was designing and building a car in his Dad's basement. He was a locksmith by trade and a good one at that. Who knows what he could have accomplished. One thing for sure. He left a gaping hole in our lives, and I often wonder how different things would be if he had stuck it out. My oldest brother was closest to him because they were at the same age. After our friend died, I later learned that my brother came close to killing himself too. All of this, because one person started the ball rolling.

Depression runs deep in my family too and it is something that I stuggle with as well. I see how it plays on the mind and with how tiring it is to keep fighting through it. It is not to the degree of my friends, but it smolders along making things uncomfortable. Suicide though, is not an option. If I ever resort to that, then shame on me, and I deserve to be called selfish and stupid. There is help out there and it would be my fault for not taking it. 

As you can see I have strong feelings on the subject. I am putting all this dirty laundry out there in the hopes that it will help stop someone from making a big mistake.

Your life counts. It may not seem like it, but it does.

I sincerely hope she's on meds.

"Depression is a disease."  I agree, it can be. I respectfully disagree that it is not a stupid choice. In my friends case he did not have a history of depression. He was responding to the loss of his friend, and to him, it was a simple solution to his problem. That is the way he was and that is how he lived. He was a rebel in many ways. Not all suicides are the result of mind-numbing mental disorders.

Currently, I have a friend that has a serious lifelong depression. I am talking major debilitating depression. Every day is a struggle for her. She has struggled most of her life, and at times, years ago, she has attempted suicide. She has come to learn though that suicide is never an option, and she will call her therapist if she reaches that point. In my honest opinion, if any person should have the right to do suicide, it should be this woman. Her suffering is immense, and she is disabled in more ways than one. Hear health issues are off the chart. It is a "decision" that she has made, and that decision is to live.

Derpression is a disease. Suicide is not a personal failing, I personally do not believe that it's a sin, and it's not a stupid choice because to the individual, it's not a choice at all.

I was thinking about that the other night, watching "Good Morning, Vietnam" again. Robin Williams was a guy I met a number of times as we were both dads in the same grade school. In real time he was pretty much the same personality as in his act. I saw him take over the stage a few times at Fund Raisers, laugh till you cried.

The first time I ever saw him live, was at a club called the Holy City Zoo. We were waiting for him to come on. He came in through the back of the club with a white towel wrapped around his waist and yelled "Arafat, party of 4,000; your table is ready". A really really gifted guy.

Chris, there is a ton of wisdom in what you wrote. You made so many good points and I love the Jeff Beck quote. 

I was 15 years old when a close family friend committed suicide. It was a very sad time for many and I often wonder what he could have accomplished in his life.

Our friend was 23 years old. He was a very smart guy, but it was a very stupid act. The extra sad part of this was that he had a friend that committed suicide several weeks earlier. That initial act set things in motion for our friend to consider and to do the same thing. Suicide has far reaching consequences.

Archangel Shooter

 

 Boy do I know it, all the Playboy centerfolds I have seen as a kid are now in their late 70's early 80's

 

Suicide is never a dignified choice! It's rather selfish, and indignant choice that robs others of your presence. It also makes it harder on your family, and friends as well as you fans (if you have any). No, friends - NEVER a dignified choice! It's painful enough that this world is full of sin, but making it a saddened, and sorrowful world more than is truly necessary as it already is has no diginity whatsoever! It's sad to see that there are so many out there who don't realise this. I'm going to quote Jeff Beck regarding this issue When Roy Buchanan did the same thing:

"It's a shame when you don't realise how much talent you have when your troubles get you down."

~ Cobra Chris

That is an odd coincidence, I also think of The Moody Blues when hearing Lucky Man. But Steve is correct. (of course, being my anal self, I had to Google it to make sure)

Stik--I believe GM has it right that ELP did the song. Like you, I like his work. The group was truly groundbreaking for the time.

GMorrison

Sorry, I didn't think of that. It is the name of a song...

 

Wasn't that a Moody Blues tune?

No matter, I really did like his work.

You can't criticize the choices others make, especially in cases like this. No one knows the circumstances he faced. Suicide can be a humane, dignified choice.

Age is relative - 71 might be young for some, while 37 might be old for others.

I'm not directing this toward anyone, I'm speaking in generalities.

Sorry, I didn't think of that. It is the name of a song...

My thinking at the time was, well no we don't want to die, but I would probably have liked the last 55 or so of his life.

It is troubling to end that way, but I don't know the circumstances.

Tojo72

Wow,we're all getting old.

 

 

The OP shocked me for some reason, and your comment was my exact first thought, Tojo. Geez.

Edit: except 71 isn't old, at least it hasn't been in my book for the past 20 yrs or so. :) Missed that on first read of GM's post.

He committed suicide. Lucky? No. Troubled? Yes. Sad really when he could have reached out for help. Had he done so, he would have lived a little longer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8vQ_7R5qN8

Now, there's a scratchbuilt model waiting to happen!

Brain Salad Surgery

One of Rocks best keyboardist, clasically trained and one of the first to use a synthesizer made especially for him by Mr. Moog. I have very fond memories of seeing them throughout their career (ELP) starting in 1970, their first US Tour. Seeing ELP for the first time was a lot like watching the movie 2001 Space Odyssey for the first time. When the movie was over you said to yourself, what was that we just seen, but you also knew it was something very special and just WOW.   

Keith rest my friend and thank you.

Terry

Tojo72

Wow,we're all getting old. 

Boy do I know it, all the Playboy centerfolds I have seen as a kid are now in their late 70's early 80's.

Sad news for sure. Yes, getting old alright. 

   Sad.   I do have vinyl memories though.                                                   gk

Wow,we're all getting old.