Many years ago my best friend killed herself when we were both aged fourteen. Nothing in my life to that point really prepared me for that event, and I think now looking back that it put me into shock for many years after.
Could I have done something, I wondered, if I had known more about suicide and what signs to look for? My mind really shies away from dwelling too much on thoughts such as these, for we cannot bring back the past and what is done is done and I was a child back then.
But for years before she died she would send me letters with bombs drawn in as decoration on the envelopes. Apparently this is a "sign" I've learnt somewhere, but as a child I just thought nothing much them. They were just part of her signature.
So I don't know. Should the veil on suicide be lifted? I don't know. And what really is the difference between voluntary euthanasia which so many in NZ seem to support and suicide which can't be talked about publicly? Is suicide the death of the young and voluntary euthanasia the death of the old and sick and useless?
Could I have done something, I wondered, if I had known more about suicide and what signs to look for? My mind really shies away from dwelling too much on thoughts such as these, for we cannot bring back the past and what is done is done and I was a child back then.
But for years before she died she would send me letters with bombs drawn in as decoration on the envelopes. Apparently this is a "sign" I've learnt somewhere, but as a child I just thought nothing much them. They were just part of her signature.
So I don't know. Should the veil on suicide be lifted? I don't know. And what really is the difference between voluntary euthanasia which so many in NZ seem to support and suicide which can't be talked about publicly? Is suicide the death of the young and voluntary euthanasia the death of the old and sick and useless?