Sunflowers

Suicide claims on average the lives of seven Australians a day. There are approximately 65,000 suicide attempts each year – and more than 2,200 loved ones will die by suicide in Australia annually. Despite these horrifying numbers, suicide remains a taboo in Australia and is still horribly misunderstood and mistreated.
Friday, 10th of September is World Suicide Prevention Day, a global awareness day operating internationally as an initiative of the World Health Organisation and the International Association for Suicide Prevention. This year’s theme is ‘Many Faces, Many Places: Suicide Prevention Across the World’.

Today I stood on the Northern Broadwalk of the White Sails Asylum with 400 other people at the Lifeforce Suicide Memorial Service and realised that I wasn’t alone. As I saw parents, wives, sisters, brothers, mates and children who are experiencing the same thing as I am, I felt comforted.

As I heard the story of the 23 year old girl who had tried vainly to cut her new husband down from his own noose in the garage, I felt blessed. As I heard over and over again how people full of life and love had suddenly decided to end their lives I realised that the chaos of living would never be understood.

As I threw the yellow flower into the waters of the harbour, I said goodbye to the pain. I tossed it into the hands of the universe and let the blame, the guilt, the anger, the questions, the hurt and the self pity go once and for all.