Norma Jean Dunning
Dec 16, 20221 min
This week has been rough. This week has brought a lot up for me to face and that's difficult because I don't share. I've learned to stop sharing because knowledge becomes a weapon that can be used against you. But, this week, I have thought many times how I wanted to scream "You don't know what someone is going through. You don't know how much pain someone has to be in to consider ending their life. You don't know unless you have been there. I have been there."
But, I kept quiet and I stare at the semicolon on my wrist. The only outward indicator that suicide is a chapter in my life I avoid. But, there's never a question. There's never an outward acknowledgment of what the meaning is. So, I sit quietly by, bite my tongue, and crawl deeper into the shell I cultivate.
So, when you see these happy people who bring light for everyone else, think of the darkness they must be hiding. When you see someone living a fairytale, think of how evil hounds her daily. When you see someone being the strength for everyone around, think of how many times they've been let down. And just be kind.
And if you ever need a listening ear to hear your story. I have my own I'll share with you in return.