A girl committed suicide over the weekend.
I did not know her.
She went to the high school that my former students attended.
She was the sister of the girlfriend of one of my favorite students.
She was in 10th grade.
I did not know her yet my heart weeps this morning.
It weeps for her mother who had to open her eyes early this morning only to realize that it wasn't a terrible nightmare, but a reality with which she must deal.
It weeps for her father who will never get to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day.
It weeps for her siblings who will find themselves laughing about something stupid in a couple of months and instantly feel guilty for doing it without her.
It weeps for her friends who are left wondering why she's gone.
It weeps for her teachers who need to somehow get through this day being the strong ones when they just want to cry for this little girl too.
It weeps for my former students' family who just had a huge wound reopened...you see, their father committed suicide when I taught the older sister. They are all too familiar with suicide and shouldn't have been subjected to that in 6th and 8th grade...that's just not right.
It weeps for all of the kids out there who don't feel any hope...who can't find any glimmer of a silver lining...who would rather end it than share their pain with anyone.
It weeps for the person who received her last text message...wondering if they could have done anything differently to save her.
It weeps for whoever had to find her.
It weeps for the fact that this little girl's death has affected so many...you see, this family was well respected in the community. Everyone thought of them as an "amazing family."
It weeps for the fact that even when you think you have it all together as a family, things can still go horribly wrong.
So, my wish for all of these kids, parents, community members, and kids who didn't even know her is hope.
There has to be hope to go on.
You have to find hope to make it through inexplicable situations.
You have to believe that there is hope to move forward.
You have to remember the hope that helped you get through last time someone left your life so suddenly.
It may not come today...or tomorrow...or next week or month, but it will come.
My wish for you...hope.
Rest in peace sweet angel and know that you are loved and missed.
11 comments:
Amen!
My heart aches for any family that has to go through this. What you said about hope is spot on.
This is so tragic. And it is so scary, too, reading this as a parent. We only want our children to be happy and healthy...all of us...and to think something can go so horribly wrong.
Our thoughts are with the family and the community.
yuck. this gives me an instant stomach ache.
no words really.
hope from this neck of the woods, too.
So awful.
Lots of hope and love to all who were affected.
Oh man...such a tragic event, but that's a beautiful post.
Don't you just want to go out and grab all these kids by the shoulders and say, "You have to know that it GETS BETTER!" I do.
So sad to read about this. You wrote a great post about a tragic topic. Praying for the community.
This was beautifully written and inspiring at the same time. thank you for sharing.
Today was probably my hardest day as a teacher---because, just like you said, I wanted to be strong for the kids and weep for her all at the same time. She was a good girl, and I miss her already.
Thanks for this, Rebecca.
I cannot even begin to imagine this now as a parent. A worst nightmare...my heart aches and I don't even know them.
A friend of mine in high school committed suicide. I was the last of our friends to have seen her - it was summer and her and I were taking Driver's Ed together. Still to this day, I wonder if she said or did something that should have clued me in that afternoon...that would have made a difference...
My prayers go out to the family...
Oh gosh, this is so sad. I can't even imagine what her family and friends must be feeling.
And my heart aches to think about how hopeless and desperate she must have felt to take her own life.
You are so very right, even if you think your family has it all together you just never know.
I will hope along with you.
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