This is a subject matter that has been weighing on my mind for some time. It is going to be a difficult subject discuss but I have felt the need to express myself about it. The "It" is teen suicide. I'm sure not your everyday blog discussion but a subject that does concern me.
It all began back in the fall when a young man from my hometown successfully ended his life. This was a popular young man in his senior year who had just been named Homecoming King several weeks before. Since the demise of this boy there have been many other suicidal attempts by fellow classmates. This is a small town that has shrunk down to about 4500 people from the 6500 when I was in high school. It saddens my heart to think that these young people feel the need to end their lives.
Statistically it is stated that suicide is the leading cause of death among youth 5-14yrs and 3rd leading cause among 15-25yr-olds. I'm not sure how this ranks from the 80's during my teen years but I never knew of anyone who had attempted or succeeded during those years. I know there are a lot more pressures on today's youth to act this way, do this thing, etc. Where does the fault lie?
These youth are our children. The teens of the late 70's and the 80's are the parents of these kids. Have we forgotten the basic values to teach our kids, not talking with them or treating them like one our friends? What is the answer? All these things concern me since I will soon have a 12yr-old boy entering Jr. High.
I have connected lately with some of my old classmates and just friends in general. We have discussed some of the problems that are facing our youth and I think we are all starting to get a little wise. I will tell you, saints we were not in our youth. I will be the first to admit that I did not lead the life I should have been living. Others my age and I have decided it was time to take control of our lives and that of our children to the one place that it matters, through the Christ Jesus. It is time for a revolution among us parents, leaders and Christians to take a stand in saving our youth and leading them on the rocky road of life into the promise land of Christ.
I have prayed to God to help our youth and all the other souls lost in the greatest depths to find their way to him. God sees our pain as it states in Psalm 31:7 "I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul." God knows when we are hurting. We just have to trust in him.
