Shake the Dust

Everyone hurts, one way or another. 

What I learned from the To Write Love on Her Arms meeting last Thursday - It’s okay if you don’t have a ‘story’. Not everyone has suffered from depression, anxiety, OCD, etc.

But some people have. Some people have attempted suicide, some people have had problems with cutting, drug abuse, severe depression. Some people have seen close friends die from suicide. 

And some people are like me. They don’t know what it feels like to suffer clinically from depression, but they know what it means to hurt, and they want to raise awareness about depression and suicide prevention.

I almost didn’t want to go to the meeting because I knew we would be going around in a circle sharing our stories or why we felt like we needed to join. 

Listening to the stories people told broke my heart. Even the ones where people said they had found their way out of the darkness. Because for some of them, out of the darkness doesn’t mean they have found Jesus, and they can’t see that what they have is only a temporary healing. 

A couple people who went before me shared how they joined not because they personally experienced something, but because they saw how important it was for people to know and be aware of how serious this problem is.

When it was my turn to share, I was honest. But I couldn’t say everything I felt like I needed to say.

I said that though I never really experienced anything, I felt the urgency of raising awareness. Yes, there are people all around the world suffering from hunger and diseases, but at the same time, there are people right around us suffering and hurting, and it’s just as fatal. I shared that for me personally, I had my own set of issues this past summer and even recently, but I was able to find my strength in Christ.

What I really wanted to say was that the only reason I was able to get out of my downward spiral of hurt and despair before anything got worse was because my Savior rescued me. Because I knew that I was safe in His arms no matter how far away I thought I was. I wanted to say that Jesus was the only way to be truly healed from our pain.

But I didn’t.

What one girl said about the reason why she joined defined the reason behind this organization. She said she wanted to join because she didn’t want to lose another friend to suicide.

I feel like everything in my life ties together. 1. Suicide is a public health crisis. 2. From what I heard from people who shared, depression often has its roots in middle school. I spend a good amount of my time each week at middle schools teaching kids. 3. The 911 Campaign is coming up soon.

What is wrong with this world? 

I have been incredibly blessed. I am so thankful to know the love of Jesus. I’ve been praying for God to help me see the lost through His eyes. I think I may be beginning to.

18 Notes/ Hide

  1. zseung said: But you didnt…well there will be more opportunities. Don’t let them pass, you never know if there’s another Seth waiting to accept the Gospel.
  2. whydothestarsshine said: I’m really glad you wrote this; some people are really quick to judge those who hurt without really taking the time to think about how they might be feeling and judge them and cause more hurt. I’m really glad to know you’re not one of those people =]
  3. esthermaaa posted this