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Dear Editor....
Suicide is in the news again, with distressing and unfathomable reports
of so many more people lost tragically to their families, friends and loved
ones. It's often described as a permanent solution to a temporary
problem, and so it is, because there is no challenge in life, no matter how
seemingly insurmountable, that can't be overcome with the help and
support of a friend or one of the brilliant agencies that will go to any
lengths to keep hope alive.
There are many reasons why we should avoid this horrific option, among
them the unbearable loss to those we care about, but I'd like to share
another reason for not taking our leave of this world prematurely.
I happened to take an interest a few years ago in NDEs (near death
experiences), situations where people are revived after being declared
clinically dead. There are the well known stories of people seeing angels,
deceased loved ones etc but for me an intriguing statistic is that the
overwhelming majortity of those revived after failed suicide attempts
worldwide are happy to be "back"...and relieved they didn't succeed in
ending their lives.
I won't get into any religious or spiritual beliefs associated with NDEs. I
just feel they speak volumes about how precious life itself is, and maybe
serve a purpose in reminding us that it's worth looking at other options,
and seeking the help that is always there, when those dark self
destructive thoughts threaten our wellbeing.
Let's give life a chance, for our own sake and that of all the people who
would grieve our loss. And let's look out for anyone who needs help in
opting for life over death.
Thanking you,
John Fitzgerald
www.farmingmonthly.co.uk
December 2016 | Farming Monthly | 07