Gatekeeping (8th Edition)

What are your plans for tomorrow?

Welcome to the eighth edition of my “Gatekeeping” blog series. I shared the back story of these simple and yet powerful questions in this post.

August has been a good and very busy month for me and my family. Somehow, Gatekeeping got away from me, though I did talk about it in conjunction with Time Warp Tuesday a few weeks ago. Last night I realized that today was August 31st and I had yet to check in here to ask those questions this month. So here we are.

Recently I came across a very well researched, thought out and written article in Chicago magazine about a very important topic in our area, nation and world. As someone who has lost a number of loved ones over the years to suicide, I have been heartbroken and motivated to try to help keep people talking about how they are feeling and what we can do to try to prevent others from taking their own lives. I really appreciated reading the article, as it gave me new insights into why some people choose to commit suicide and how loved ones and community members can try to help those who might also be at risk.

Also, for those who might be interested, the 38th Annual National Suicide Prevention Week is coming up September 9th – 16th, with World Suicide Prevention Day on Monday, September 10th.

Finally, I recently updated my Mental Health & Suicide Prevention resource page here on my blog. So please feel free to check it out.

Now on to Gatekeeping…

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In 2011 I lost two loved ones to suicide. I realize that there is likely nothing I could have done to change the outcome of their lives, but it is something that I struggle with as I continue to work through my grief and try to make peace with these women taking their own lives.

I know that many of us suffer in silence when we are going through difficult and uncertain times in our lives. It doesn’t have to be that way.

I am not asking you to tell me your secrets or your problems, unless you want to of course. But I invite you to check in here periodically (you can also email me or send a Facebook message) and let me know how you are feeling and what plans you may have for tomorrow.

Here’s an excerpt from the post I referenced above called Gatekeepers:

My favorite line in Meg (Hutchinson’s) song (called Gatekeepers) is, “maybe every day, in ordinary ways, we hold each other on, we keep each other here.”

I think that is so profound and it certainly rings true for me.

There have been countless people throughout my life that have been “Gatekeepers” to me. Though I have never seriously considered taking my own life and strongly believe that I will never do so, I have survived some very rough patches where my self-esteem and self-worth were severely challenged. 

I love the idea that in “ordinary ways” we can make extraordinary differences in the journeys of loved ones and even strangers that we meet throughout the course of our day-to-day lives. 

Kevin “the Gatekeeper” Briggs has done so by asking those two simple questions of strangers he has met contemplating jumping (off the Golden Gate Bridge), Meg Hutchinson has done so through her music and song, Bob Edwards has done so with the stories he shares on his radio show and you all have done so for me over the years through your comments here, your caring ways, your love and your support as my readers, fellow bloggers, friends and family members. 

Thank you so very much.

I will be posting “Gatekeeping” blog entries now and then and hope that they will present the opportunity for anyone who reads them who is having a hard time coping with challenges they are facing in life to share. That said, you are certainly welcome to comment about the things you are feeling good about too. I believe that being able to recognize and name the things we are grateful for is essential to help us find peace and joy in our lives. That is part of why I love participating in Lori’s monthly Perfect Moment Mondays.