Suicide..... A Cowardice Act?

I was startled when I read the passing away of two famous personalities in just a gap of a week or so. And the cause of their death being suicide. And they weren't any two-ordinary people. They were rich, famous and leading successful lives in their own work area. Then what made them take such an extreme step? Probably we will never know.

Can we address them as cowards? Can't say.

I believe everyone lives their life to the best of their capacity. However, to think of ending their life would never be on their minds until they feel they have reached a point where it makes them think that their role in this world is over and they need to leave without proper goodbyes to anyone.

Nobody can read anyone's mind. Staying under the same roof or interacting daily with the same person can never guarantee how they would behave the next minute. People are like seasons. They change with every situation, with every person they interact with, so how can one say what goes on in each other’s minds??

But I always feel people who are depressed or suicidal give out subtle signals to their close ones but often those signals are ignored or not tapped at the right time. And its human tendency to ignore whatever our loved ones do or say as nowadays everyone's leading busy lives, communication is dwindling day by day, responsibilities have grown ten folds. In short, no one's got time to literally sit down and talk!

No human being comes with a manual or a checklist and you tick into the boxes if you feel some part of them isn't functioning properly. We aren't machines. But everyone is made up of feelings, emotions and actions that give out indications that something is wrong.

I can say this by citing an incident that occurred in my own family, paternal side to be precise. It happened with my father's niece's husband who, at the age of 45, committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan, which was shocking for all because of the fact that he was a self- made man, very ambitious, successful and a man of self- respect. Now why did he take this extreme step is unknown to us all. Probably his family knows but might never speak out of guilt and pain which would be a part of their lives forever.

But after his passing away they recollect some incidents that occurred in the past one week which later on they found absurd, something which he had never done previously. And that's what precisely I had mentioned that subtle signs and signals are always given away but people fail to catch them.

He was a businessman and his wife (my father's niece) assisted him in it. And like every wife supporting her husband and vice versa, they too shared the same goals and dreams. But during that one week before he took the extreme step, he asked her to manage the business alone though he might not be around. She never took it seriously thinking it's just a statement. She's not to be blamed either because she being a mother, wife and daughter she had to tend to many other tasks so who would remember all such talks when you are bombarded with other responsibilities as well. One day he decided to take them for dinner at a 5-star restaurant which was totally not expected. Generally, people with middle class upbringing are not used to such fancies. And all these were happenings in that last one week prior to his death. Nevertheless, they went and had the time of their lives. All happy and like a dream come true.

His children recollect him watching videos of people dying and remember him saying, ' what a peaceful experience death must be’. But they used to just shrug it off, not taking his words seriously or just taking the TV remote from him and changing the channel.

Now when they look back and think about all these incidents helplessness is all what they feel. It’s not that they could have done anything to change it but a hope that maybe or buy or what if.... the possibilities are never ending. but there's something called fate and that cannot be changed!

Not getting into too much details here but he's no more. Leaving a family to fight their battles alone, he found his salvation and left this world. Was it for good or bad, no one knows. People learn to live and move on with their lives without their dear one with them cos life doesn't end there. But the pain of missing a loved one can never be expressed in words and needs no explanation either. It’s devastating. But as they say, life goes on.

Everyone's days are numbered in this world but how you would depart would always be a mystery. We must not blame people for ending their own lives. They have a story of their own with whom they could never share with. Not even your own people can read or know what goes on in your mind. So, always pray that wherever these departed souls are, hope they are happy and have found peace.

Peace.