By age 19 you have achieved the age of reason. You are typically assumed to be mentally competent. You can vote. You can sign contracts. You have your whole life before you. You have options. Sure, you might make mistakes, but we get to learn from them, right? So for five minutes of fame, suicide is such a bad mistake.
Yet with perhaps hundreds of onlookers, one might think there was always a chance of being saved. Alas, not this time. Some tried to talk him out of it, it seems none thought to go further than that with any sense of urgency. Alas.
Lyrics | Manic Street Preachers lyrics - Theme From MASH (Suicide Is Painless) lyrics
My post title is of course, the opening line from the theme song from MASH. The song will have some resonance to our, err, less young readers and all the TV addicts exposed to the endless re-runs.
The lyrics were written by Mike Altman, the Film Director's son (aged 14 at the time) to suit a melody that didn't have the right words. The song is suitably dark, and not quite coherent, which seems somehow appropriate. The "suicide is painless" line (and actual song title) was a play on words, being about a Dentist in the movie with a nickname of Painless who was contemplating suicide. Nice to see a bit of Shakespeare make it into the song too.
What might it all mean? Well, some reality: Suicide is not painless. Whatever siren song that such soothing music might stir in a sorrowful heart, whatever pain we have in our life, the effects of this will ripple out and hurt many people.
Meanwhile, the son of some friends has just been diagnosed with cancer. His wife is pregnant with their first child. More than most people, he would understand how precious life is. I pray his child grows up to know his father.
There are many times in our life we will be standing in an early morning fog. The fog is there because the sun is rising, and the warmth it brings lifts the dew and obscures our sight. It was dark, and that darkness remains in our minds even as the sun breaks across the horizon. Yet somehow, the fog has made it worse. The mist muffles sounds, nothing is clear.
There's a fog along the horizon, A strange glow in the sky, And nobody seems to know where you go, And what does it mean? [-]
rest your head - you worry too much, it's going to be alright, when times get rough
you can fall back on us - don't give up - please don't give up [-]
Related Link: Florida boy all alone while many watched
Yet with perhaps hundreds of onlookers, one might think there was always a chance of being saved. Alas, not this time. Some tried to talk him out of it, it seems none thought to go further than that with any sense of urgency. Alas.
After several hours, when he had not moved some viewers finally notified the site's moderator, who then called the police.Rest in peace Abraham Biggs.
Lyrics | Manic Street Preachers lyrics - Theme From MASH (Suicide Is Painless) lyrics
My post title is of course, the opening line from the theme song from MASH. The song will have some resonance to our, err, less young readers and all the TV addicts exposed to the endless re-runs.
The lyrics were written by Mike Altman, the Film Director's son (aged 14 at the time) to suit a melody that didn't have the right words. The song is suitably dark, and not quite coherent, which seems somehow appropriate. The "suicide is painless" line (and actual song title) was a play on words, being about a Dentist in the movie with a nickname of Painless who was contemplating suicide. Nice to see a bit of Shakespeare make it into the song too.
What might it all mean? Well, some reality: Suicide is not painless. Whatever siren song that such soothing music might stir in a sorrowful heart, whatever pain we have in our life, the effects of this will ripple out and hurt many people.
Meanwhile, the son of some friends has just been diagnosed with cancer. His wife is pregnant with their first child. More than most people, he would understand how precious life is. I pray his child grows up to know his father.
There are many times in our life we will be standing in an early morning fog. The fog is there because the sun is rising, and the warmth it brings lifts the dew and obscures our sight. It was dark, and that darkness remains in our minds even as the sun breaks across the horizon. Yet somehow, the fog has made it worse. The mist muffles sounds, nothing is clear.
There's a fog along the horizon, A strange glow in the sky, And nobody seems to know where you go, And what does it mean? [-]
rest your head - you worry too much, it's going to be alright, when times get rough
you can fall back on us - don't give up - please don't give up [-]
Related Link: Florida boy all alone while many watched
The Peter Gabriel was a duet with Kate Bush, I think.
ReplyDeleteYou really have to believe that a higher power, or *something* will lead us into the light of a better day.
Depression is such a huge problem with youth. My son collected a lovely new(to him) car yesterday morning, and crashed it Saturday afternoon. These things are sent to try us.
I remember this story from a few days ago, sad and depressing. And to think people were watching it!
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